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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

May 05, 2020

Missionaries, Wars, and Rebuilding in Southeast Asia

By Luke Hunt

A conversation with Michael Parer, a former cleric who bucked the Catholic system.

April 27, 2020

4 ASEAN States Abusing COVID-19 Emergency Powers

By Luke Hunt

UN warnings unheeded amid arrests, death threats, and muzzling the press.

April 09, 2020

Rising Coronavirus Fears in Cambodia as Hun Sen Nixes New Year Festivities

By Luke Hunt

The premier has canceled next week’s Khmer New Year celebrations amid worries about the virus.

March 18, 2020

Of Film and Adventure in Mainland Southeast Asia

By Luke Hunt

A conversation with travel writer, journalist, and Hollywood filmmaker Nick Ray

March 13, 2020

Cambodia’s Courts Under the Microscope With Australian Missionary Trial

By Luke Hunt

The case is yet another test for the justice system in the Southeast Asian state.

March 06, 2020

A Life Covering Corruption, Conflict, and Contemporary Politics in Southeast Asia

By Luke Hunt

A conversation with Australian foreign correspondent Craig Skehan and his decades in Southeast Asia.

February 20, 2020

Why the EU’s New Cambodia Wrist Slap Won’t Weaken Hun Sen’s Iron Grip

By Luke Hunt

Though the move is not entirely insignificant, it pales in comparison to the other challenges the government faces and is working to address.

February 05, 2020

Foreign Power Threat Looms Over Kem Sokha Trial in Cambodia

By Luke Hunt

The hearings have again spotlighted the ruling government’s obsession with threats from foreign powers and color revolutions.

January 16, 2020

Cambodia: Largest Casino Worker Strike Victory Highlights Wider Rights Issues

By Luke Hunt

While the recent strike resulted in a pay rise commitment, it also spotlighted the wider rights issues and economic challenges for some workers.

January 10, 2020

Jakarta Floods: Yet Another Reminder of Indonesia’s Capital Woes?

By Luke Hunt

The recent incident once again highlighted the woes facing the capital city amid plans to shift it.

December 25, 2019

Can Malaysia Solve Its Big Migrant Worker Challenge?

By Luke Hunt

While the government has cited labor as being an area of priority for reform, it faces an uphill task.

December 04, 2019

US Slaps Trafficking Charges on ‘Dynamite Doug’

By Luke Hunt

The British expat is wanted for his trafficking of stolen and looted Cambodian antiquities.