The aircraft will help Nok Air to expand into smaller Thai and regional cities and further orders will depend on how the new destinations pan out, Patee Sarasin, chief executive of the airline told a media briefing at the Singapore Airshow.

The first aircraft will be delivered in July, he said.

On Wednesday, Nok Air said it had committed to order 15 737 jets in a deal valued at $1.45 billion, the latest order from fast-growing low cost carriers in Southeast Asia.

(Reporting by Anshuman Daga; Editing by Jeremy Laurence)