Sept 6 (Reuters) - The U.S. aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln left Thailand on Sunday after a five-day port visit, ending a respite from an extended deployment that included operations in the Middle East, the U.S. Navy said.“We would like to thank the people of Thailand for their incredible hospitality,”U.S. Navy Captain Dan Keeler, the Abraham Lincoln’s commanding officer, said in a statement.Naval deployments typically last for six to nine months, but during times of conflict that can be extended.

The vessel’s arrival has shone a light on Pattaya’s sex industry, which established itself as a rest and recreation destination for U.S. personnel during the Vietnam War.

The war-weary USS Abraham Lincoln has finally docked in Thailand bearing all the scars of a gruelling eight-month deployment in the Middle East.