It’s not complicated. From September 2 to 6, about 4,800 Navy and Marine Corps personnel from the U.S. aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln went to Pattaya for rest and recreation during a port call in Thailand. When that many people show up, the places where money gets spent naturally heat up as well.
One official estimated that the five days brought in about 100 million baht in spending, equivalent to about $3 million. The money was mainly spent on dining, hotels, transportation, entertainment, and tourism—expenses that are hard to avoid once people arrive.
Pattaya had originally been in the low tourist season, and customer traffic for businesses had been slipping somewhat. Now, with this group arriving, business was suddenly boosted. Local food vendors, transport operators, hotels, and entertainment providers would feel it most directly.
The difference between the low season and the high season is quite obvious in the bustle on the streets. When more people arrive, roadside stalls, traffic, and nighttime lights all tend to come alive, and the first thing businesses notice is that customers have returned.
