US Navy Sailors Pump 100 Million Baht Into Pattaya Economy
Nearly 4,800 U.S. Navy sailors from the USS Abraham Lincoln injected approximately 100 million baht into Pattaya's economy during a five-day September visit, with spending spread across attractions, restaurants, and shops rather than concen
Pattaya Mayor Premasorn Gampitchet discussed the five-day visit of 4,800 U.S. Navy personnel from the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln between September 2-6. He emphasized that Pattaya gained a chance to promote a new image of the city as a diverse tourist destination, moving beyond its reputation as purely a nightlife and beer bar hub. The sailors dispersed across many tourist attractions including the Sanctuary of Truth, Nong Nooch Tropical Garden, the four-region floating market, and participated in elephant riding and shopping. While exact spending figures remain unclear, business owners and U.S. Embassy officials estimate personnel spent an average of 100-150 U.S. dollars per person, totaling approximately 100 million baht circulated throughout the area across restaurants, shopping malls, tourist attractions, and retail shops—not concentrated solely in nightlife businesses. Premasorn noted that the visiting sailors' tourism behavior has changed from the past, with roughly 20% women among the 4,800 personnel and many younger service members who researched and pre-planned their destinations. This reflects a different travel pattern from the GI-era military visits of previous decades.
