BANGKOK, Sept 20 : Thailand's finance ministry will soon meet with the central bank to discuss the weakness of the baht currency, the finance minister said on Tuesday.

Arkhom Termpittayapaisith told reporters the baht's weakness was due to the dollar strength and he had to targets in mind for its level.

Meanwhile, 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.

  - Reuters