US carrier visit to Thailand's Pattaya lifts hope and sex-tourism risk
By Panarat Thepgumpanat and Chayut Setboonsarng
BANGKOK, Aug 31 (Reuters) - After a long deployment in the Middle East, a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier will dock in Thailand's resort city of Pattaya this week, raising hopes of an economic boost, even as local authorities cracked down on parts of the sex tourism destination.
The Abraham Lincoln is due to dock on Wednesday at nearby Laem Chabang, with two accompanying Navy vessels, to allow nearly 5,000 sailors and Marines aboard to rest and recuperate after over 200 days at sea, according to Thai officials.
Ahead of its arrival, police are preparing additional patrols around Pattaya's main beachfront and nightlife district besides raids over the weekend that led to 40 to 50 people in detention for suspected prostitution, officials said.
"We are doing our best, but it is difficult," Pattaya police chief Anek Srathongyoosaid on Monday, explaining that sex workers could potentially solicit in public areas without the knowledge of the authorities.
Prostitution is illegal in Thailand and, despite occasional crackdowns, the sex industry is openly visible in major tourism hubs, including parts of Bangkok and Pattaya.
The Lincoln left its home port of San Diego in November and was later redirected to the Middle East to support military operations in the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran — setting a modern-day record for consecutive days at sea, according to Democratic lawmakers.
But the prolonged deployment has also brought with it reports of mental health concerns and deteriorating conditions aboard, with two military-focused outlets this month describing suicide attempts and declining morale on the ship.
In Pattaya, a fishing village partly transformed into a tourism centre on the back of U.S. servicemen seeking succour during the Vietnam War, some are hoping for a financial boost.
Each U.S. military personnel could spend 1,000 to 3,000 baht per day ($30 to $91), depending on how long they stayed ashore and whether they stayed overnight, said Pattaya Mayor Poramase Ngampiches.
Shore leave is typically staggered, meaning not all personnel will step off the vessels at the same time.
"It should help stimulate Pattaya's economy in the short term," Poramase said.
RISK OF SEXUAL EXPLOITATION
But money may also flow into the unseemly part of Pattaya's entertainment industry, so massive that the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation described it a decade ago as "one of the world's leading sex tourism destinations."
"The risk to health and safety, as the influx of a large number of customers may increase the likelihood of sexual exploitation and the spread of sexually transmitted diseases,"said Pipatpong Fakfare, an associate professor at Bangkok University's School of Humanities and Tourism Management.
He also pointed to reports of stress and suicide attempts among personnel aboard the aircraft carrier that add another layer of concern.
The overall commercial impact on Pattaya, which has over300,000 rooms, would depend partly on where personnel chose to spend their time, as some could travel to the capital Bangkok, said Thanet Supornsahasrungsi, president of the Association of Chonburi Tourism Federation.
"When we heard the news that a U.S. Navy warship would be docking in Pattaya, it became a source of hope for us," said Lisa Hamilton, president of the Pattaya Nightlife Business Association.
"I have lived in Pattaya for more than 20 years, and I have never seen any year as slow as this one."
($1 = 32.9500 baht)
(Reporting by Panarat Thepgumpanat and Chayut Setboonsarng; Editing by Devjyot Ghoshal and Saad Sayeed)
