US sailors arrive at Thailand's Pattaya after record 250 days at sea

After a record 250 days at sea without a port stop, the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln has docked in Thailand, giving its nearly 5,000 crew members a much-needed break.

The ship is docking close to the beach resort of Pattaya, known for its raucous nightlife and for sex tourism. For the US it also carries strong historical echoes.

When the weary sailors walk into the city's bars and restaurants, they will literally be treading in the footsteps of the hundreds of thousands of US troops who came here for R&R – rest and relaxation - during the Vietnam War.

They transformed it from a sleepy fishing village to one of the world's most famous and frenetic party towns.

Today the neon-lit alleys running down to the beach are much quieter than usual. The bars in the city's famous Walking Street still screen videos on their walls of pole-dancing women, trying to lure customers inside.

But there are not many of those customers, and most seem to be family groups from the Middle East more interested in the Turkish ice-cream vendor than the go-go bars.

The Iran War, which has affected tourism and consumer spending, has hit businesses hard here. The prospect of thousands of American sailors, with nine months of salary unspent while at sea, offers a rare opportunity to local businesses.

The US carrier left San Diego last November on what was supposed to be a six-month assignment in the Pacific and South China Sea.

However, the ship was diverted to the Gulf after the US and Israel began military operations against Iran in late February.

Recently some members of Congress raised concern about reports of food shortages, broken toilets and mental stress among the crew. The US Navy acknowledged that working conditions have been tough, but said the crew were sufficiently well-supported. It would not, however, comment to the BBC on the carrier docking at Pattaya, citing operational security.

Despite its close relationship with China, Thailand is a treaty ally of the US, and port visits by US Navy ships are a familiar occurrence.

But this is probably the largest number of US military personnel coming straight from a war zone to Pattaya since the fall of Saigon in 1975.

"This visit could be our best hope," said Anon Saiteer, who sells gems in a shop near Walking Street, which has put up a large sign welcoming the US sailors and marines and offering them a special discount. "We have nothing to lose – we just hope they will spend some money here."

But US and Thai officials are trying to ensure this happens without any of the salacious headlines for which Pattaya has become known.