New Delhi, Sept. 2 -- There's no getting around the fact that Thailand's seaside resort of Pattaya has a lingering reputation for sex tourism, even though that's only part of the story for the city that's a major shore leave destination of crew members aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln.

Many of the 5,000 or so sailors and Marines onboard the Lincoln, as well as personnel on other ships in its carrier strike group, are visiting Pattaya for some rest and recuperation this week after the big ship's long, troubled tour of duty in the Middle East.

They will be following millions of other tourists, including a significant number of U.S. military personnel who take part every year in major land and sea exercises nearby with their Thai counterpart...