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The Diplomat | Author

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

November 03, 2020

Foot in Mouth, Mahathir’s Hate Speech Backfires – Again

By Luke Hunt

It’s time for the former Malaysian PM to just shut and stop scratching for cheap votes.

October 27, 2020

Southeast Asia Braces for US Elections and a Possible Second Trump Term

By Luke Hunt

A Biden victory will see a rebooting of U.S. ties with ASEAN, but the region will still be seen through the lens of competition with China.

October 21, 2020

Amid Drought and Flooding, Cambodian Fish Catches, Exports Fall Precipitously

By Luke Hunt

Floods follow drought as dams, climate change and illegal fishing take their toll on Southeast Asia's mighty river.

October 08, 2020

Cambodia Says Naval Base Open For All, Not Just China

By Luke Hunt

A coastline fit for diplomatic power plays sets off alarms in the United States.

September 30, 2020

Opposition Leaders Testing Cambodia’s Chilly Political Waters

By Luke Hunt

The maneuvering of Kem Sokha and Sam Rainsy once again spells trouble for their supporters inside Cambodia.

September 24, 2020

Social Reformers Challenge Malaysia’s Islamic Hardliners Over Headwear

By Luke Hunt

To wear or not to wear: The hijab is a matter of choice — and politics.

September 21, 2020

Cambodia’s Microfinance Industry in Troubled Waters

By Luke Hunt

A conversation with economist Ron Bevacqua about the crisis facing Cambodia's microfinance sector.

September 15, 2020

US Imposes Sanctions on Chinese Company for Rights Abuses in Cambodia

By Luke Hunt

Chinese investment schemes in Cambodia “deepen corruption [and] undermine rule of law,” the US Treasury says.

August 25, 2020

From Phnom Penh With Love

By Luke Hunt

A conversation with author, journalist and television producer Glen Felgate.

August 24, 2020

Struggling With Drought on the Mekong

By Luke Hunt

Climate change and dams combine to push water levels to record lows.

August 17, 2020

An Australian Law Student Sets an Example for the ASEAN Way

By Luke Hunt

How to reshape attitudes on issues ranging from the Asian haze to the Mekong River.

August 10, 2020

Taxing Times in Southeast Asia

By Luke Hunt

Brights spots and where to put your spare cash amid the pandemic.