Prime Minister Anutin Charnavirakul has claimed victory in Thailand's general election, with preliminary vote counts putting his ruling conservatives well ahead of their rivals, BBC reported. 

Anutin said his success belonged to "all Thais, no matter whether you voted for us or not", after his party's expected result defied opinion polls that had placed the reformist People's Party ahead.

With 90% of the votes counted, Anutin's Bhumjaithai party is projected to win 194 seats in Bangkok's 500-seat parliament, with the People's Party in second place on 116, according to BBC.