BANGKOK, Thailand - Opposition Democrat party Leader Abhisit Vejjajiva has gathered enough votes in Parliament to become Thailand's next prime minister.
As voting continued Monday, the Oxford-educated politician passed the 219 votes needed to win tense balloting against former national police chief Pracha Promnok, a loyalist of exiled former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
The new prime minister is expected to be formally named later Monday.
The lower house vote comes after months of instability caused by anti-government demonstrations that culminated late last month with a weeklong takeover of Bangkok's two airports.<
A Democrat victory likely would usher in a period of stability, at least temporarily.
