AFP

Bangalore: Thai budget carrier Nok Air launched its first international flight Tuesday, connecting Bangalore and Bangkok and promising Indian tourists the experience of an “adventurous nightlife.”

The airline expects lucrative traffic from this southern city known as India’s Silicon Valley, said Patee Sarasin, chief executive officer of Nok Air, which will offer a round trip for as low as Rs9,999 ($246).

Starting on 1 June, Nok Air will operate daily flights from Bangalore to Bangkok, using a 150-seat Boeing 737.

From the Thai capital, passengers can connect to popular destinations such as hill station Chiang Mai in the north and southern beach resorts like Phuket.

Tagged as a “shopper’s airline,” Nok Air will mainly target Indians travelling to Bangkok to buy brand-name clothes, electronics and curios, he said.

“We are very excited about our first international destination,” said Patee. “Bangalore being one of the most dynamic and prosperous cities of the country, we expect to see excellent traffic,” Patee said in a statement.

Foreign carriers are trying to tap the increasing travel lust of the middle class in India, a nation of 1.1 billion people, by offering inexpensive fares and holiday packages.