The first, to be held at the Banyan Tree Hotel on Friday, will cover the medical and biotechnology sectors. This will be followed later by similar seminars on the consumer and niche sectors, goods related to services and entertainment and the food and beverage sector.

Austrade said the seminars were designed to help Thai importers access preferential tariff rates under Tafta. Participants will receive an update on tariff reductions for this year and beyond.

The seminars will also give participants connections to Austrade's database, which lists more than 23,000 Australian suppliers. Thai importers and traders thinking about sourcing products from Australia are encouraged to participate.

Last year, a seminar on Tafta for Thai wine and ICT importers was successful, and among the companies that took part, Vita Power Systems, a systems-integrated provider for alternative power solutions, showed strong interest in exercising benefits provided by the free-trade pact.

Since taking effect on January 1, 2005, Tafta continues to open up opportunities for Thai traders by increasing margins for products sourced from Australia and reducing the costs of doing business with Australia.

"However, from our experience, some Thai importers are not yet aware of these benefits, mainly because they view the agreement [as being] far too complex, with all its technical terms and regulations. In fact, with the right assistance, their burdens can be considerably eased," said Austrade's Bangkok-based business development manager, Pannalak Lieokomol.

By 2010, 98 per cent of tariffs in two-way trade between Australia and Thailand will have been phased out.