Phuket prepares for more than 5,000 US Navy personnel during planned port visit

Phuket authorities are preparing to receive more than 5,000 US Navy personnel expected to arrive aboard the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush and escort ship USS Mason for a leisure visit to the province.

The preparations were discussed on 2 October 2026 at Phuket Provincial Hall, where the provincial governor met Lou Pham, deputy assistant defence attaché for US forces, and a delegation from the US Embassy’s Force Protection Detachment in Thailand.

Thai Navy’s Third Area Command, Phuket police, provincial officials, the Phuket regional harbour office, the provincial sports authority, Phuket Provincial Administrative Organisation and other agencies joined discussions on security, logistics and area management during the visit.

The governor said Phuket would use a Single Command system to coordinate the agencies and operate a war room around the clock. The province will also use its “Phuket Eye” system, an artificial-intelligence-enabled CCTV network covering key areas across the island, to monitor people and incidents that could affect safety.

Officials also asked the visiting US personnel to comply with Thai laws and local regulations and to respect Thai customs and culture, including the country’s Buddhist traditions. Phuket said it would welcome the visitors and provide assistance within the law.

Pham thanked the province for its preparations and said the Force Protection Detachment’s mission was to help safeguard US personnel visiting Thailand. He said the delegation placed importance on ensuring that personnel behaved appropriately and respected local rules.

The US delegation welcomed the planned visit to Phuket and praised the province’s preparations and inter-agency coordination. It said the visit was expected to support ties between Thailand and the United States in economic, tourism and cultural areas.