PHUKET, Thailand –The arrival of the USS George H.W. Bush aircraft carrier and USS Delbert D. Black destroyer in Phuket from October 4–9 is drawing attention, but the visit is far from the first time major US warships have arrived in the province.
The USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77), accompanied by the USS Delbert D. Black (DDG-119), is bringing more than 5,000 US personnel to Phuket. The sailors and other personnel will come ashore at Phuket Deep Sea Port after the ships anchor several kilometres offshore and will be free to visit destinations around the province. Restrictions include bans on renting vehicles and riding pillion on motorcycles.
Records from the past two decades show a long history of US Navy ships visiting Phuket, ranging from destroyers and cruisers to amphibious assault ships, amphibious transport ships and large aircraft carriers.
In June 2006, the Rotary Club of Patong worked with the US Naval Attaché Office at the US Embassy in Bangkok to arrange community service activities involving personnel from visiting US warships. By 2012, US Navy personnel had taken part in 100 community service projects in Phuket.
From April 3–7, 2008, three US warships visited Phuket together: the guided-missile cruiser USS Port Royal (CG-73), guided-missile destroyer USS Hopper (DDG-70) and guided-missile frigate USS Ingraham (FFG-61), carrying about 900 personnel. During the visit, sailors from the Port Royal and Ingraham helped renovate Ban Kamala School, which had been damaged by the 2004 tsunami.
The amphibious assault ship USS Peleliu also visited Phuket in 2008 before returning in 2010.
The number and size of visiting US warships increased significantly in 2009. The amphibious assault ship USS Boxer (LHD-4) visited Phuket in February, with its personnel joining a community service project at the Thalang National Museum.
In June, USS Mitscher, USS Gridley and USS Comstock were recorded in Phuket waters. US Navy imagery dated June 25, 2009, showed Gridley and Comstock anchored in Phuket Bay. Reports from the same period indicated that six US warships arrived in Phuket with more than 5,700 personnel.
In September 2009, the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) arrived with USS Chancellorsville and USS Gridley, bringing nearly 7,000 US personnel who stayed in Phuket for about five days.
US Navy records also show the Ronald Reagan carrier strike group later sailed from Phuket and conducted a PASSEX exercise with the Royal Thai Navy vessel HTMS Bangpakong in the Andaman Sea.
The amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD-6), accompanied by Marines from the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, visited Phuket in November 2009 and personnel took part in community service activities.
On November 13–16, 2010, USS Peleliu (LHA-5) returned with the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit. Personnel joined community activities and visited local attractions, with the US Navy describing the Phuket visit as part of efforts to strengthen relations with Thailand.
On May 1, 2011, USS Ronald Reagan returned with USS Preble and USS Chancellorsville, bringing more than 5,000 personnel to Phuket for community activities and tourism.
US Navy visits continued in 2012. From October 7–11, USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74), accompanied by USS Mobile Bay (CG-53), anchored in Makham Bay for logistical support and crew rest following operations at sea. Other visiting warships that year included USS Milius, USS Paul Hamilton, USS O’Kane and USS Peleliu.
From May 28 to June 2, 2013, Phuket welcomed the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier and USS Princeton (CG-59), which visited Thailand for logistical support and crew rest after operations at sea.
Later visits included USS New Orleans (LPD-18), which anchored off Phuket from March 27–31, 2016. Its personnel took part in community activities, including improvements to a local childcare centre.
Other US Navy ships have continued to visit Phuket in more recent years, including USS Fort Worth, USS Blue Ridge, USS San Diego, USS Essex, USS Preble and USS Boxer.
The arrival of USS George H.W. Bush therefore marks another chapter in a relationship that has developed over decades. What has changed over time is the scale of the visits, from individual warships carrying several hundred personnel to carrier strike groups and major deployments involving more than 5,000–7,000 personnel.
The latest visit is particularly notable because Phuket has previously hosted several major US aircraft carriers, including USS Ronald Reagan, USS John C. Stennis and USS Nimitz. The arrival of USS George H.W. Bush now adds another major carrier visit to that history.
