USS Abraham Lincoln docks in Thailand after record-breaking 200-plus days at sea
The US Navy aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln arrived at Thailand's Laem Chabang port on Wednesday morning, completing more than 200 consecutive days at sea in what marks a record-breaking deployment for the modern era.
The carrier, which departed San Diego on November 21, 2025, for what was initially planned as a six-month deployment to the Indo-Pacific, was redirected to the Middle East where it supported US military operations. The vessel broke the previous modern record of 207 consecutive days at sea, set by the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Roughly 5,000 sailors and Marines aboard the Lincoln will have five days of rest and recuperation in Thailand, the United States' only treaty partner in mainland Southeast Asia. The two nations became allies in 1954 through the Manila Pact, and the US designated Thailand a Major Non-NATO Ally in 2003.
The crew's only previous port call during the deployment was a brief stop in Guam on December 11, 2025. The extended time at sea has raised concerns among Democratic lawmakers about mental health and deteriorating conditions aboard the vessel.
Deployment operations and Middle East involvement
During its deployment, the Lincoln participated in Operation Epic Fury, which began on February 28, 2026, with aircraft from Carrier Air Wing 9 taking part in opening strikes and the carrier strike group helping enforce a naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz.
The deployment comes as US Navy carrier groups are increasingly exceeding the service's recommended seven-month deployment duration. Earlier in 2026, the USS Gerald R. Ford set a post-Vietnam War deployment record of 326 days, though that deployment included multiple port calls unlike the Lincoln's nearly uninterrupted time at sea.
Economic impact and shore leave restrictions
The arrival of thousands of military personnel has raised economic hopes in nearby Pattaya, a resort city two hours east of Bangkok. Mayor Poramase Ngampiches said approximately 40 buses will shuttle personnel between the port and Pattaya.
However, authorities have imposed restrictions on crew activities. Personnel are prohibited from water sports, jet skiing, bungee jumping, wrestling, and boxing during their shore leave.
Thai police have deployed additional patrols around Pattaya's beachfront and nightlife areas. Over the weekend, authorities conducted raids that led to 40 to 50 people being detained for suspected prostitution.
Pattaya's reputation as a sex tourism destination dates to the Vietnam War era, when American servicemembers used the city for rest and recreation, leading to the establishment of bars and a sex industry that persists today despite prostitution being illegal under Thai law.
The Lincoln's deployment is accompanied by other US naval vessels, which will also dock at Laem Chabang during the five-day port visit.
