When Hun Sen swept into his old neighbourhood to vote, it was with none of the trappings befitting the legendary one-eyed strongman of Southeast Asian politics.
His bodyguards bore no weapons and were polite - unusually so. The idyllic setting of an old school courtyard in the town of Ta Khmau by the Bassac River seemed more suitable for a countryside picnic.
But Hun Sen, who rose to power with a mix of cunning and ruthlessness to become the world's youngest prime minister in 1985 at the age of 33, had every reason to be casual and confident, as early results show him poised to return to power after yesterday's polls.
As expected, the old school courtyard about 10km south of Phnom Penh was filled with journalists, photographers, bureaucrats and people trying hard to impress.
Young and old alike wore their Sunday best and formed long queues as a relaxed Hun Sen arrived in a gold-coloured Mercedes-Benz and began working the crowd with a winning grin.
Beside him stood his wife, Bun Rany, helping to scotch rumours the pair had been through a difficult patch. They are rarely seen together. Behind them his father, Hun Neang, watched over.
Hun Sen singled out Benny Widyono, an associate professor from the University of Connecticut in the US, an election observer and an old friend. The pair shook hands as Hun Sen joked: 'See, this is Cambodia's third election and Cambodia is very good at it. Not like Unctad.'