Thai authorities have outlined rules for American sailors coming ashore from the USS Abraham Lincoln during a stop in Pattaya, warning that those who break local laws may face prosecution. Approximately 5,000 U.S. service members are aboard the aircraft carrier, which is set to make a port call near the eastern Thai city, known for its nightlife, in the coming days, following more than 200 consecutive days at sea on deployment during war with Iran. Pattaya city officials met with U.S.
Navy representatives at City Hall on Monday to discuss arrangements for the carrier's arrival, including behavioral guidelines for its crew, local media reported. Pattaya Mayor Poramet Ngampichet said the city was looking forward to the U.S. personnel's visit, and hoped their port call would boost the local tourism economy. Mayor Poramet said the service members will be barred from certain recreational activities such as parasailing and marijuana use.
Medical cannabis was legalized in Thailand in 2022, and dispensaries have become common. U.S. service members are also barred from cannabis shops, pharmacies, and from taking part in "water-based activities," local newspaper The Pattaya News reported. Navy personnel will also be banned from certain streets in the city, including Pattaya's red-light district, the paper said.
The famed nightlife area Walking Street in the south of the city is open to sailors, but they must leave by 2 a.m. and authorities say there will be a larger-than-normal police presence, it added. City police Chief Anek Srathongyoo said U.S. service members who break Thai law will be prosecuted accordingly, while law enforcement agencies will step up security measures to prevent undesirable situations, the reported. Thailand has strict laws against insulting the country's monarchy.
Under lèse-majesté law, it is a criminal offense to insult, threaten or defame certain senior members of the royal family. Those found guilty under this law could face up to 15 years in prison. Thailand has legalized medical cannabis but a licensed Thai medical professional must issue a prescription for the drug.
Recreational cannabis use or purchasing the drug without such documentation is prohibited, as is consuming it in public. Those breaking Thai law on cannabis possession and use could face up to a year in jail and a fine of roughly $600. Unlike in the U.S., vapes and e-cigarettes are illegal in Thailand.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
