The bitter decadeslong rivalry between Hun Sen, Cambodia's strongman leader, and Sam Rainsy, his self-exiled chief political rival and critic, has sometimes played out in deadly violence. But on Sunday, soup rather than blood was likely to be spilled.
The two titans of Cambodian politics, who normally agree over nothing, made stunningly similar calls to their followers this past week.
On Sunday, they said, all Cambodians should gather with their neighbours and sit down for a meal of num banh chok, a popular Cambodian rice noodle soup usually consumed at breakfast.
From his prime minister's perch of unchallenged authority, Hun Sen promoted eating "the Khmer (Cambodian) noodles of unity and solidarity."
Sam Rainsy, co-founder of the country's only credible but now disbanded political party, called for "eating Khmer noodles for the sake of friendship in the framework of the entire, giant Cambodian family."
Hun Sen, known for his prowess in chess, quickly countered, sending word down to his party members that they should also gather on Sunday to eat noodle soup: "Please don't forget to eat Khmer noodles together. These are the Khmer noodles of unity and solidarity, not destructive noodles."