PATTAYA, Thailand – The arrival of around 5,000 U.S. Navy personnel has brought fresh activity to Pattaya during the low season, with tourism officials estimating that their five-day visit could generate 50–100 million baht in local spending. The sailors from the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) visited Pattaya and surrounding areas from September 2–6 during the aircraft carrier’s port call at Laem Chabang.
Thanet Suphornsahasrangsri, president of the Chonburi Tourism Federation Association, said the visit had created noticeable activity across several sectors despite the sailors arriving ashore in different groups rather than all at once. Restaurants, shopping centers, retail shops, attractions and hotels all benefited from the additional visitors, he said.
Thanet also pointed to a change in the behavior of younger generations of U.S. military personnel compared with the traditional image of sailors spending most of their shore leave in nightlife venues.
Many of the visitors were seen spreading out across Pattaya, dining at restaurants, visiting cultural attractions, shopping and spending time in major retail centers.
Some sailors visited Nong Nooch Tropical Garden, while others explored local food and cultural attractions, offering a broader picture of Pattaya beyond its nightlife scene. Thanet estimated that if the approximately 5,000 personnel spent an average of 10,000–20,000 baht per person during their stay, the resulting economic circulation could reach between 50 million and 100 million baht.
The timing was particularly significant because Pattaya is currently in its traditional low season, which generally runs from after Songkran until around October. The main high season begins around November and continues into March or April. The U.S. Navy visit therefore provided an additional source of spending during a period when tourism businesses normally face softer demand.
Thanet said the visit also demonstrated the importance of presenting Pattaya through a wider range of experiences, particularly amid rising travel costs, higher fuel prices and growing competition from destinations such as Vietnam. Rather than relying primarily on nightlife, he said Pattaya could attract visitors through its food, shopping, cultural attractions and other experiences.
The five-day visit also gave local businesses an opportunity to benefit from a large group of international visitors whose spending was spread across different parts of the local economy.
“Five thousand personnel came for only a few days, but they helped bring activity to Pattaya during the low season and showed that Pattaya has more than nightlife, including food, shopping and cultural tourism,” Thanet said.
