The Thai Navy says the three-ship port call in eastern Thailand will involve no joint exercises and is unrelated to any particular situation
US aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln is expected to visit Thailand next week for a routine port call after completing a prolonged deployment in the Middle East, a Thai official said.
The vessel will be accompanied by two other ships from its US Navy carrier strike group during a brief stop in eastern Thailand.
The Royal Thai Navy said the visit was intended to provide rest and recreation for personnel after their deployment, as well as logistical support and other necessary services.
RAdm Parat Rattanachaiphan, spokesperson for the Royal Thai Navy, said the port call was being conducted under longstanding defence agreements and co-operation between Thailand and the United States.
“The visit is not a training exercise or a joint military operation with the Royal Thai Navy, nor is it intended to relate to any particular country or situation,” he said.
All procedures will comply strictly with Thai laws, regulations and security measures, he added.
Details withheld for security
The Royal Thai Navy did not disclose the names of all three vessels, their anchorage or the detailed schedule, citing security considerations.
A separate report identified USS Abraham Lincoln, designated CVN-72, as the aircraft carrier due to visit Thailand.
The US Embassy in Bangkok did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Carrier completes prolonged deployment
USS Abraham Lincoln left the Middle East on Saturday after a deployment that included support for US military operations during the US-Israeli conflict with Iran.
It has gone more than 200 consecutive days without a port call, setting a modern-day record for time at sea, according to Democratic lawmakers in the United States.
Naval deployments typically last between six and nine months but can be extended during conflicts.
About 5,000 sailors and Marines are serving aboard USS Abraham Lincoln. An unnamed Thai official said the visit would give them an opportunity for “rest and recreation after their long sea journey”.
Navy Times and Stars and Stripes reported this month on alleged suicide attempts and declining morale aboard the carrier. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said those reports had “completely misrepresented” conditions on the ship.
Thailand has been a US treaty ally since 1954 and was designated a major non-NATO ally in 2003.
The two countries maintain close military relations, while the Thai Navy described the forthcoming stop as a normal port visit conducted within the existing framework of bilateral defence co-operation.
