Thailand's opposition leader Abhisit Vejjajiva has been confirmed as the country's new prime minister after winning a special vote in parliament.
Mr Abhisit will become Thailand's fifth leader in a little over two years.
The British-born Democrat Party leader will lead a weak coalition government after winning a parliamentary vote, nearly two weeks after a court dissolved the ruling party linked to ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra.
The country was stricken by months of political deadlock as anti-government protestors mounted a campaign to topple the ruling party.
The protest culminated in a week-long occupation of Bangkok's main international airport which left 300,000 foreign tourists stranded.
In a sign of the trouble in store for the Oxford-educated economist, at least 200 supporters of the previous administration blocked access to parliament and smashed windows of cars carrying MPs who had backed him.
Mr Abhisit won support from 235 MPs from his Democrat party and a range of others, including a breakaway faction of the Puea Thai party that had backed Mr Thaksin, now convicted of graft and in exile. He needed 219 votes to become prime minister.
His slender majority suggests the turmoil of the last three years will continue, especially when the economy which depends on exports and tourism, feels the full force of the global slowdown and airport blockades by royalist, anti-Thaksin protestors.
Mr Abhisit says reviving growth through increased government spending will be his priority.
At a news conference immediately after the vote, Mr Abhisit said he would not outline any ideas or initiatives until he was sworn in by King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
