Pattaya City, Thailand - Two sailors from the USS Abraham Lincoln were sent back to the ship after getting into a drunken altercation in a Thai resort, local police said on Friday.

Police were alerted to a "small scuffle" involving the sailors in the early hours of Thursday morning near Pattaya's nightlife hotspot Walking Street, city police chief Colonel Anek Srathongyoo told AFP.

"The sailors were drunk and they were fighting, making loud noise," he said. He described the incident as "trivial" and said local residents had only called police to prevent it from escalating.

The unidentified sailors were not charged as "they did not violate any Thai law," Anek said, adding that the US Navy sent the pair back to the ship.

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The USS Abraham Lincoln's arrival has drawn global media interest after reports of deteriorating living conditions on board after more than 280 days at sea.

It has also put the spotlight on Pattaya City, which is popular with foreign tourists and has a reputation for its nightlife, including sex tourism.

Authorities launched a crackdown on sex workers ahead of the ship's visit, but denied it was linked to the sailors' arrival.

The police chief told AFP there had been no other notable incidents since the Lincoln docked, and one Pattaya masseuse said it had been calmer than previous military port calls.

Nattakamol Chartmontri, who has worked in Pattaya City for several years, told AFP many of the sailors appeared "young, well-behaved, and rule-abiding."

Pattaya businesses had been hoping for a windfall from the visit, which comes during a low season, but Nattakamol said it had so far stayed quiet.

"People on social media are so hyped about [the sailors], but actually, they have not made a significant difference to Pattaya businesses," she said.