BANGKOK, Sept 20 : Thailand's acting Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan has asked the finance ministry to closely monitor a weak baht currency and its volatility and seek broad opinion to determine policies, a government official said on Tuesday.

There were concerns about weakness in the currency and also oil prices, spokesperson Anucha Burapachaisri told a briefing after a weekly cabinet meeting.

The baht has been trading at its weakest level in more than 15 years against the dollar.

However, industrial sentiment improved in August, hitting its 11-month high, as consumers had more confidence in the Thai economy, Anucha said.

The cabinet approved an investment budget of 276 billion Thai baht ($7.48 billion) for state-owned enterprises in the 2023 fiscal year starting Oct. 1, he added.

Prawit is currently serving as caretaker while premier Prayuth Chan-ocha remains suspended pending a court verdict on his tenure as leader, which is scheduled for later this month.

On Saturday, Finance Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith said Southeast Asia's second-largest economy was expected to grow 3% to 3.5% this year, and 3% to 4% next year, helped by tourism, exports and public investment. ($1 = 36.9200 baht)

 - Reuters