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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

July 28, 2020

Cambodia – With a Little Help – Charts Its Own COVID Course

By Luke Hunt

Flights from Indonesia and Malaysia were cancelled as confirmed cases from abroad spiked.

July 08, 2020

Hun Manet Still a Long Way From Cambodia’s Top Job

By Luke Hunt

Hun Sen’s number one son has the resume but needs broad support.

July 06, 2020

Malaysian Prime Minister Faces a Leadership Challenge When Parliament Resumes

By Luke Hunt

Mahathir still has the support to influence his country’s politics.

July 02, 2020

Indo-Pacific in Focus as Australia Substantially Lifts Military Spending

By Luke Hunt

Chinese bullying crystalizes opposition, divides ASEAN.

June 23, 2020

The Problem With Travel in Southeast Asia and COVID-19

By Luke Hunt

A conversation with travel and culture writer Marissa Caruthers.

June 17, 2020

Saving Indochina’s Wilderness

By Luke Hunt

A conversation with environmentalist Marcus Hardtke.

June 09, 2020

Cambodians Reclaim Angkor Wat as Global Lockdowns Continue to Bite

By Luke Hunt

At Cambodia's crown jewel, there's “not a single selfie stick in sight” as tourists evaporate amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

June 03, 2020

Indonesia Records Its First Honor Killing

By Luke Hunt

A schoolgirl was reportedly hacked to death after admitting to dating

May 26, 2020

Survey Finds Overwhelming Support for Closing Illegal Wildlife Markets

By Luke Hunt

Reshaping East Asian opinion for a post-coronavirus world.

May 20, 2020

NGOs and Scientists Urge Moratorium on Deep Sea Mining in the Pacific

By Luke Hunt

Mining for battery metals seen as a threat to Pacific Island nations.

May 15, 2020

The Mayaguez: Honoring the Fallen and Remembering the Survivors

By Luke Hunt

U.S. soldiers who fought the last battle in Indochina deserve their place in military history.

May 06, 2020

Outgoing UN Envoy Hopes Myanmar’s Suu Kyi Can Change

By Luke Hunt

Explosions heard in Rakhine villages as military searches door-to-door.