The biggest 'gift' anyone can give the people of Thailand, Sri lanka, Maldives and India is 'please please' don't cancel your plans. Amend them certainly, change location to an unaffected area, if your plans are a few months down the line keep a check on the situation. It will take time to repair the damage but your support is needed in all the affected countries.

Obviously if your planned hotel is damaged or there is a lack of services /infastructure in those hard hit areas that is different, but you can still come to those areas that have not been affected in any way at all.

It has been very heartening to read everyone's concerns and efforts people have made for donations.

Where I am we are far away from the affected areas but I shall be heading down to Phuket as soon as it is 'sensible' to fo so, i.e once roads are free of supply/emergency vehicles and the emergency is over and the area is ready to accept people 'coming in'. Not just to see friends but spend a few bucks down there too.

We are maintaining our plans to stay in Railay and Koh Lanta in February for just this reason. It doesn't seem like Railay was hit too badly but we haven't heard any reports of Koh Lanta yet.

topping
We've been twice to Koh Phi Phi and my heart is broken by this tragedy. I cannot imagine the magnitude.

aloha James...

what is the second biggest gift???
truly,,,we want to donate...where do you see the most need and where the money will actually get to those in need.
i want to donate to as many relief funds as my bank account allows.

A few days ago there was a blood donation drive by the Thai government. We all gave and now they tell us that they urgently need RH negative blood for the western tourists who were injured - this only occur in 1 out of every 1,000 Asians. There was also a request for coffins for the dead and people donated thousands of coffins. Now we are told that they urgently need "western" size coffins for the many tourist who perished, most of whom are quite bloated. The government is asking for formalin for the preservation of those that die so that the bodies can be identify and shipped back home. I'm told that there are many more bodies uncollected since most of them are buried in mud and debris.

I would suggest volunteers, especially in the forensic field from abroad to come and help with the urgent task of body identification and DNA collection. There are not enough such professionals in Thailand in this field. To alleviate the lost of friends and relatives, especially those from abroad, and perhaps bring closure to their loss.

The Thai people and the Thai government are doing their best and utmost to take care of the survivors but I fear that the suffering of friends and relatives of those who perished and those that are missing will linger or even escalate if we don't receive help in this field.

HANUMAN.... I just checked the dog tag on my neckles and it says blood RH A+.. I just did a quick internet reaserch and am left more confused on what blood type I am.. but as I type this, I just heard a bullatin asking forigners for A type blood.. I guess thats me.

I'll try and do my part but I'm a bit worried becouse I have heart problems and every time I have something done with my blood I have too fight from passing out.. Oh well lets see what happens..

damn. I hate needles..

International help seems to be starting to support the devastated countries.
I just sent a check to one of the charitable organisations, just a "rice grain"... but still...