The US aircraft carrier the USS Abraham Lincoln will dock in Thailand next week, a Thai official said on Tuesday, following a prolonged deployment in the Middle East and allegations of mental health concerns and deteriorating conditions aboard.
The Lincoln, which left the Middle East on Saturday, has not made a port call in more than 200 days, setting a modern-day record for consecutive days at sea, according to Democratic lawmakers.
Typically naval deployments are for between six and nine months, but during times of conflict, that can be extended.
The ship, which has roughly 5,000 sailors and Marines aboard, will be in Thailand for "rest and recreation after their long sea journey", the official said, asking not to be named.
Thailand's navy said a US Navy carrier strike group would make a brief stop in eastern Thailand for the purpose of rest and recuperation, with no exercises taking place. It did not name the three vessels or provide a date for the visit, citing security concerns.
"The stop is a routine port visit intended to allow personnel to rest and recuperate...as well as to receive logistical support," the Thai Navy's spokesperson said in a statement. The US Embassy in Bangkok did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The Lincoln left its home port of San Diego in November and was later redirected to the Middle East to support US military operations in the US-Israeli war with Iran.
Two military-focused outlets, Navy Times and Stars and Stripes, this month reported suicide attempts and declining morale on the ship. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has said the reports, "completely misrepresented," the conditions on board.
Thailand is the United States' only treaty partner in mainland Southeast Asia, having been a treaty ally since 1954 and a major non-NATO ally since 2003. Both countries' militaries maintain strong relations.
(Reporting by Panu Wongcha-um and Devjyot Ghoshal; Editing by David Stanway, Martin Petty and Conor Humphries)
