Nok Air announces commitment to order 15 Boeing aircraft
Thai budget airlines Nok Air's Chief Executive Officer Patee Sarasin (2nd L) poses with Boeing's Senior Vice President of Global Sales of Commercial Airplanes John Wojick after an announcement of new orders at the Singapore Airshow February 12, 2014. REUTERS/Edgar Su · Reuters

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Boeing (BA) said Thai budget carrier Nok Airlines Pcl (NOK.BK) has 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.

Nok Air has committed to order eight Next-Generation 737-800 and seven 737 Max 8 aircraft, both companies said at a media briefing on Wednesday at the Singapore Airshow.

The new order is the first major aircraft deal for Nok Air, which is expanding domestic and international routes in a crowded market.

The airline, 39.2 percent owned by Thai Airways International PCL (SET:THAI), competes with AirAsia's (KLS:AIRASIA) Thai venture Asia Aviation PCL (AAV.BK), a venture backed by Indonesia's Lion Air and Bangkok Airways Co. Ltd (BA.BK).

(Reporting by Anshuman Daga and Siva Govindsamy; Editing by Jeremy Laurence)