Although it’s fairly difficult to come by a television with English news, I’ve been doing my best to keep up with news on the recent earthquakes in Port au Prince, Haiti. As a traveler, it’s easy to let current events fall to the wayside and just enjoy your time away from reality, but as a reporter, that’s more than impossible for me.

The destruction in Haiti came two days before I reached the Andaman Sea coastline province of Krabi and the islands of Koh Phi Phi and Koh Lanta, the majority of which saw destruction during the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami that was a result of the 9.0 Sumatra earthquake. Koh Phi Phi, my current location, saw unthinkable damage, with much of the island’s development being almost totally wiped out. The monumental wave hit 12 countries and left 5,395 dead, 8,457 injured and 2,932 in Thailand alone.

Excited as I was to get to Koh Phi Phi for its reputation as the “ultimate paradise” and location of the cult novel-turn-movie “The Beach,” I was more anxious to learn of survivor stories and how the island fared today, six years after devastation. I made it a point to seek out locals who could tell me about their experience following the tsunami and what it’s like to survive such catastrophe. Nearly everyone I spoke to lost friends and family and everyone gives their thanks and praise to Buddha for helping them through such tragedy.

The parallels between Haiti and the Thai locations hit by the tsunami are evident after only an hour of talking to those who were able to start over. Both countries are, for better or worse, considered developing Third World nations with limited democratic government and an economy mainly funded by tourism and private coastal resorts with beautiful scenery (although this is changing for Thailand in recent years). Both have suffered mass devastation, and it is my firm belief that like Thailand, Haiti can overcome it with hard work. As aid rushes in for Haiti from all over the world in various forms, this becomes the perfect opportunity for the country to start fresh.

And after spending time on the beautiful island of Koh Phi Phi that once saw tragedy akin to Haiti’s current situation, I feel the urge to help in whatever capacity I can.

I plan on starting with a $25 donation — about the cost of a Red Cross first aid kit — and hope to raise more money from there. For every comment (legitimate, individualized, non-spam comments) posted between now and February 20, 2010, I will donate an additional dollar to a charity involved in efforts to help Haiti. The charity, though likely Doctors Without Borders or the American Red Cross, is to be decided.

Sure, it may set me back in my travel wallet a bit, but it’s too important to not help a country so desperately in need, especially after seeing just how far Thailand and the island of Koh Phi Phi has come.