Thailand's Parliament has chosen the country's Oxford-educated opposition leader as prime minister, capping six months of violent anti-government protests that included a weeklong takeover of Bangkok's two airports.

Adhisit Vejjajiva AP PHOTO

The selection Dec. 15 of Abhisit Vejjajiva marks the first time in eight years that a civilian government will be led by an opponent of exiled former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who has loomed over Thai politics even after he was ousted by a military coup in 2006.

Abhisit, 44, will face an enormous challenge trying to unite the country — split between the middle class that is his base and the rural poor who backed Thaksin — and manage an economy buffeted by Thailand's political turmoil and a global slowdown.

His appointment is expected to bring at least a brief period of calm, though the move unleashed protests by supporters of Thaksin and the previous government. Abhisit's image as an upper-class elitist also could hinder his attempts to end the turmoil.

In the vote in the lower house of Parliament, Abhisit received the support of 235 lawmakers to 198 for a pro-Thaksin former national police chief.

Following the vote, Abhisit thanked fellow lawmakers and the public but said he would not talk about politics until he was officially endorsed as prime minister by the constitutional monarch, King Bhumibol Adulyadej. This is expected within several days.

From a wealthy family of Thai-Chinese origin, Abhisit was born in England, and educated at Eton and Oxford. His first name means "privilege" in Thai and his friends call him by his foreign nickname, Mark.