Pattaya is hugely popular with foreign tourists, known for its beaches and a nightlife scene that has long drawn scrutiny over sex tourism.
Pattaya’s mayor, Poramase Ngampiches, told AFP this week that there had been a recent crackdown on sex workers but denied it was linked to the US arrivals.
Outside one bar in the resort on Tuesday was a sign saying “Welcome all US military personnel. Thank you for your service”.
SAFETY AND FAIR PRICING
The mayor said buses have been laid on to transport the sailors from the ship to Pattaya and back until the carrier departs on Sunday.
“They come to relax,” Poramase said in a video posted on Facebook.
“Our preparations will focus on safety and ensuring fair pricing, so we don’t take advantage of them.”
He said the sailors have been banned from water sports such as jet skis, and from taking advantage of Thailand’s lax cannabis laws.
But he encouraged them to enjoy the city’s many other attractions, from malls to religious sites.
“We’re happy to get business from anybody,” Nicko, the French owner of a go-go bar in Pattaya, told AFP this week.
“We’ll have to be careful because as we know, things can get out of hand with alcohol involved.”
