Let's start 2010 safely!

The boisterous fun of New Year's Eve shouldn't be hampered by worries about personal safety, but 2009 began in grief after 66 revellers were killed and another 222 injured in the fire at the Santika pub.

Caution is clearly the best safeguard against a recurrence of the tragedy.

"Most clubs and bars in Bangkok ignore safety precautions and fail to install the proper equipment," says Anan Kayapan of Huai Kwang District Office.

"People who run clubs are always prepared to control fights, but not fires. They have bouncers with lots of muscles, but not enough know-how to save lives if disaster strikes."

Ideally, Anan says, a club should have one emergency exit for every 100 square metres, and fire extinguishers, smoke detectors and hammers for breaking glass - all handy and in good condition.

And they should have fire escapes and conduct evacuation drills at least once a year.

"Every club should have its own escape and evacuation plan - posters on the walls, signs and specific training for their staff. Every building is designed differently.

"Keep the plan and print it out," he advises club managers. "It's a great help for firefighters when they arrive."

It's not easy for the average club patron to tell if a venue is adequately prepared for a fire, but simply trusting the management is not enough.

Keep in mind that low-rise buildings are safer in the event of a fire. Put your preference in single- or two-storey clubs and those that have wide windows that can facilitate emergency escapes.

Avoid bars high up in tall buildings, bars in back alleys with limited access and bars with no emergency exits - they're all potential death traps.

And, if the club looks overcrowded, go elsewhere. If there's a fire, the panic can easily trigger a deadly stampede.

Once you're inside a venue, check where the emergency exits are and whether the doors can be opened - you need to know which direction to take from anywhere in the club.

A fire will almost certainly knock out the lights, and the smoke will disorient you even as it's choking you. It's crucial to know where you are.

Think about the way you dress, too. Flowing clothes, impractical shoes and oversized bags will slow you down if you have to make a desperate escape.

Drink moderately - keep a clear head. You can't move properly or keep your balance when you're loaded.

Ladies, don't linger in the restroom - you may be the last to know that the club's on fire.

 When the alarm goes off, stay calm. If there's a stampede, go with the flow but try and keep to the edge of the crowd, keeping an eye out for alternate exits, such as a rear door or a window you can break with a chair.

If you're knocked down, get up again as quickly as possible and keep going. Don't push - the last thing you want to do is knock down the people in front of you

 because you'll just fall on them.

 If you can't get back

 on your feet, try to crawl in the direction the crowd's moving, drifting toward the outer edge where there are fewer people.

Get out of the building as soon as you can and move well away. Don't linger at the door and don't try to get back inside.

 Finally, another note of preparation: Let people know where you plan to be - tell a few different people who aren't going with you.