The Diplomat  |  Author

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
July 16, 2025

Myanmar’s ‘Frontline Poets’: An Interview With Joe Freeman

By Luke Hunt
Confronting the junta with words and the realities of a war they started.

June 26, 2025

Cambodia’s Hun Sen Flouts ASEAN’s Doctrine of Non-interference

By Luke Hunt
By releasing a recorded phone call with the Thai prime minister, the strongman has broken an important regional norm.
June 16, 2025

World Bank Downgrades Economic Outlook for Cambodia, Laos

By Luke Hunt
The Bank's new forecasts put Cambodia and Laos well below targeted sustainable growth.

June 12, 2025

Myanmar’s Civil War Spawns a Rich Pool of Underpaid Garment Workers

By Luke Hunt
Can issues with refugee labor in Thailand be tackled through an FTA with the European Union? 

June 10, 2025

With an Economy on the Rise, Vietnam’s To Lam Can Claim Pole Position

By Luke Hunt
Vietnam is economically out-performing its peers in the Mekong Region, and is set to become ASEAN's second-largest economy by 2028.

June 02, 2025

Thai and Cambodian Troops on Alert Amid Saber-rattling in the ‘Emerald Triangle’

By Luke Hunt
Comparisons between the current confrontation and the 2008-2011 Preah Vihear dispute are questionable.
May 25, 2025

Myanmar: Situation Update with Paul Greening

By Luke Hunt
Anti-regime forces are focused on seizing control of military bases.

May 15, 2025

Mae Sot’s Emergence as a Cheap Refugee Labor Hub

By Luke Hunt
A conversation about exploitation and quick profits with Dave Welsh from the Solidarity Center.

May 12, 2025

Southeast Asia, Australia, and the Trumpian Worldview

By Luke Hunt
A conversation about the crisis of integrity with journalist Huw Watkin.

April 22, 2025

Thailand, Uyghurs, and a Shifting Foreign Policy Toward China

By Luke Hunt
A conversation with Cornell University's Magnus Fiskesjo.

April 18, 2025

Xi Jinping Declares China’s ‘New Era’ With Cambodia

By Luke Hunt
From crime to canals, more than 30 agreements were signed during Xi's two days in Cambodia.
April 14, 2025

FULRO and ‘A War of Their Own’ in Vietnam’s Central Highlands

By Luke Hunt
A conversation with author Will Chickering.

Page 1 of 85