USS Abraham Lincoln leaves Thailand following shore leave in 'Sin City'

The USS Abraham Lincoln has left Thailand as it concluded a five-day port call in the notorious resort town of Pattaya. Footage shows the mammoth nuclear-powered aircraft carrier departing from Laem Chabang port, some 12.4 miles away from the Thai 'Sin City', on Sunday, September 6. Captain Dan Keeler, the Abraham Lincoln's commanding officer, thanked the locals for their 'incredible hospitality'. He said in a statement: 'This port visit to Pattaya was a tremendous opportunity for this crew to recharge and a highlight for the strike group. 'Thailand has such a rich culture and history, coupled with incredible hospitality, and that all shone through in this port visit. We are grateful to our Thai allies for hosting us, and we look forward to continuing our mission here in 7th Fleet, alongside Thailand and our other regional allies and partners.' The vessel, with its crew of around 5,000 troops, docked in Thailand on September 2, following a prolonged deployment to the Middle East. Their arrival raised hopes of an economic boost for businesses in the notorious sex tourism hub, where officials had earlier launched a prostitution crackdown, arresting around 50 hookers. Local police said the shore leave ended without any major incidents. Pattaya police chief Anek Srathongyoo said: 'Everything went fine. There were no arrests or arguments except on the first day when a few Americans had an argument among themselves.' The carrier is expected to reach its home port in California in mid-September. The USS Lincoln is one of the US Navy's largest warships, with a crew of roughly 5,000. It was sent to the South China Sea in November last year before being rerouted to the Middle East, where it supported the US war against Iran, spending a record of more than 250 days uninterrupted time at sea. However, the marathon deployment has reportedly eroded morale and mental health. Former fishing village Pattaya became popular with American troops on 'rest and relaxation' breaks in the 1950s and 1960s when the U.S. military had bases in Thailand while fighting Communism in Vietnam. Rural families are said to have even dressed their sons as women to cash in on the gold rush. The handful of bars in the coastal town quickly grew and it is now the world's biggest sex holiday destination, with round-the-clock prostitution and drugs - a modern-day Sodom and Gomorrah rife with crime and debauchery. Government chiefs have attempted to clean up the city but regular violence, depravity and claims of corruption continue to blight its reputation.