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Luke Hunt

Luke Hunt

Luke Hunt is a Southeast Asia correspondent for The Diplomat. He has spent three decades working in the region and produces the Beyond the Mekong podcast. He can be followed on Patreon and X – formerly Twitter.

He served as bureau chief for Agence France-Presse in Cambodia and in Afghanistan under Taliban occupation – where he was commended by the United Nations for the “best and most insightful” coverage of the Afghan civil war. Hunt also covered the U.S.-led invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, and the Global War on Terrorism that followed, specializing in Islamic militancy.

Throughout the 2010s, Hunt focused on civil conflict and uprisings from the Middle East to East Asia and as an adjunct professor wrote the course War, Media & International Relations for Pannasastra University in Cambodia. He is the author of the “Punji Trap” and co-author of “Barings Lost” and is the recipient of several awards including the Hong Kong Human Rights Press Awards, Society of Publishers in Asia, and the World Association of Newspapers.

Follow him on X at @lukeanthonyhunt.

Posts by Luke Hunt
February 21, 2025

Thailand Rescues 7,000 but Faces Stiff Resistance in Scamming Crackdown

By Luke Hunt
Fraud syndicates have reportedly moved deeper into Myanmar in response to crackdowns.

February 11, 2025

Leaving Cambodia: A Conversation With Gerald Flynn

By Luke Hunt
Why was the environmental journalist blocked from re-entering the country that he has called home since 2019?
February 09, 2025

ASEAN Dithers as Scam Syndicates in Myanmar Bypass Thai Energy Cuts

By Luke Hunt
Lao power, generators, and smuggled diesel continue to power the region's organized crime.

February 04, 2025

Trump’s Sudden Impact and Implications For Southeast Asia

By Luke Hunt
The administration's aid cuts, tariffs, and new China strategy are all set to further test ASEAN.

January 30, 2025

Amid Hope and Despair, Myanmar’s Civil War Enters Its Fifth Year

By Luke Hunt
As the conflict drags on, politicians and “irritating voices” emerge from the liberated rear.

January 24, 2025

Cambodian PM Says Government Not Behind Lim Kimya’s Assassination

By Luke Hunt
Hun Manet urges calm as investigations into the killing continue in Thailand.
January 16, 2025

Pol Pot’s March Into Phnom Penh, 50 Years On

By Luke Hunt
Historian Henri Locard explains how Cambodia's communists differed from their counterparts in Vietnam.

December 31, 2024

Listening to the Geography of the Moon

By Luke Hunt
An interview with musicians Andrea Rubbio and Virginia Bones.

December 23, 2024

When Hollywood Comes to Cambodia, with Nick Ray

By Luke Hunt
From “Tomb Raider” to “Banged Up Abroad” and “37 Heavens.”

December 11, 2024

Myanmar and China: An American View with Michael Martin

By Luke Hunt
Chinese plans for Myanmar could have far reaching consequences in 2025.

December 10, 2024

Cambodian Journalist Killed While Covering Illegal Logging

By Luke Hunt
Authorities question Chhoeung Chheung’s credentials amid outcry.
November 21, 2024

Myanmar: Situation Update with Paul Greening

By Luke Hunt
Is China preparing to put boots on the ground to protect its investments in the country?

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