Prostitute Crackdown as 5,000 U.S. Pent-Up Sailors Arrive in Sex Work Capital

Thailand police have begun detaining prostitutes as thousands of U.S. sailors and Marines arrived in Pattaya following more than eight months aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln. The aircraft carrier reached Laem Chabang Port near Pattaya on Wednesday for a five-day “rest and relaxation” stop, while authorities in Pattaya increased patrols and restricted U.S. service members’ access to some areas. A weekend night sweep along Pattaya’s main beach promenade led to 25 arrests, including 18 Thais, five Laotians and two Ugandans, Thai media reported. Police said the crackdown targets human trafficking, child exploitation and begging, as Pattaya tries to shed its image as a sex-tourism hub. The ships are set to depart Sunday for San Diego.