Defence Ministry: USS Abraham Lincoln visit is for rest only

Thailand's Defense Ministry clarified that the USS Abraham Lincoln's upcoming port call is solely for rest and recovery purposes, with no intention of conducting joint military exercises or operations. The visit, scheduled from September 2-6 at Sattahip in eastern Thailand, will see the carrier and two escort ships docking for the purpose of restoring the wellbeing of sailors and Marines who have been at sea for an extended period in the Middle East.

The Ministry's Spokesperson, Rear Admiral Surasant Kongsiri, emphasized that the trip will not involve training, drills, or any form of cooperation with Thai forces. This clarification comes after online speculation suggested the port call could be part of broader Thai-US military cooperation. Surasant stressed that the visit is a routine personnel-recovery stop, and emphasized that Thailand would apply the same security measures as for foreign personnel attending the annual Cobra Gold exercise.

The Ministry also rejected any suggestion that the Lincoln's prior deployment supporting operations against Iran could affect relations with Iran, stating that the port call is part of existing Thai-US arrangements and unrelated to the Middle East mission. Major General Vithai Laithomya, from the Royal Thai Armed Forces, added that the ship won't be receiving ammunition or other dangerous materials, and that the visit's purpose is simply crew recovery.

He also noted that the Royal Thai Navy treats port-call requests from any country, including the US, China, and Russia, equally.