BANGKOK, THAILAND: Thai people know him as "Mark", "ObaMark" or "the Handsome Big" but Abhisit Vejjajiva is known as "Mark Vejj" to his English friends.
The British media has paid attention to the election of Thailand's latest prime minister because he was born and educated in England.
The media ran headlines with the words "Eton educated", "Old Etonian", "Oxford graduate" and "British born" to describe Mr Abhisit.
The Daily Mail said that Thailand's new PM was an Oxford graduate and former classmate of Mr Boris Johnson, the Lord Mayor of London.
Mr Abhisit, 44, was born in Newcastle, where his Thai parents were both professors of medicine. He is a devoted Newcastle United supporter.
Mr Johnson, 44, said: "He was an exact contemporary of mine at school and is a seriously clever fellow. I'm sure he's going to do great things in Thailand."
Journallive website said in its headline that Thailand was now led by a "Geordie", as people from Tyneside in England's north-east are known.
It said a Newcastle United-mad Geordie was the man charged with saving Thailand from political turmoil.
Mr Abhisit once even spoke of his dream of becoming a striker for United. In one interview he admitted: "If I was not me, I would like to be a Newcastle United striker."
