USS Abraham Lincoln arrives in Thailand with 5,000 sailors set to descend on Pattaya

The USS Abraham Lincoln arrived in Thailand today with 5,000 sailors set to descend on seaside resort Pattaya for shore leave.

Footage shows the mammoth US aircraft carrier pulling into the Laem Chabang port, around 12.4 miles away from the city - a popular spot for debauched American 'rest and relaxation' visits since the Vietnam War.

Local officials stepped up security at the port following an earlier vice crackdown in the infamous sex tourism destination, where dozens of prostitutes were arrested. It was a desperate effort to clean up the coastal town - known for its rapacious round-the-clock sex industry - before the 'yanks' arrived.

The terminal, operated by Laemchabang International Ro-Ro Terminal Limited, has a 500-metre berth with a depth of 16 metres below mean sea level, allowing it to accommodate the 100,000-tonne vessel. Pattaya City Police superintendent Anek Srathongyoo said the sailors were set to disembark from the nuclear-powered warship in batches of 50 before travelling to Pattaya.

Local mayor Poramet Ngampichet said he has arranged more than 50 buses to transport the troops.

He added: ‘There are certain places and activities that personnel are prohibited from participating in, including all kinds of water sports, jet skiing, bungee jumping, wrestling and boxing.'

Police also deployed additional patrols around Pattaya's main beachfront and nightlife districts, the mayor said.

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.

Rear Admiral Robert E. Loughran, commander of Carrier Strike Group 3, said the shore leave provided a 'well-deserved opportunity for our Sailors and Marines to rest and recharge'.

Captain Dan Keeler, the Abraham Lincoln's commanding officer, said in a statement: 'Abraham Lincoln's visit to Laem Chabang is a clear demonstration of our enduring commitment to our allies and partners in Thailand, and we are all very excited to make Thailand the first port visit on our historic deployment.

'This port visit will help us gain a deeper understanding of one another, demonstrate our mutual commitment to the security of the region, and allow our crew to enjoy this beautiful and historic country.'

The port call is seen to boost the economy, but has left officials scrambling to clean up the infamous 'Sin City'.

Officials have insisted that prostitution remains illegal under local law, despite it happening openly across the country and being one of Pattaya's main draws.

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.