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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 10, 2018

Malaysia Counts the Costs of Its 1MDB Scandal

By Luke Hunt

The new government's pursuit of justice is just beginning.

June 29, 2018

Why Duterte’s ‘Stupid’ God Remark Wasn’t a Smart Idea in the Philippines

By Luke Hunt

A recent controversy shows that the president continues to needlessly alienate segments of the Philippine people.

June 22, 2018

New UN-Myanmar Agreement, Same Old Rohingya Plight

By Luke Hunt

While the new pact has been hailed by some as a step forward, it obscures the significant challenges that remain.

June 14, 2018

Marking the Trump-Kim Summit at a North Korean Restaurant in Cambodia

By Luke Hunt

On a historic night, the Pyongyang Restaurant was packed and in a celebratory mood.

June 08, 2018

What’s Next for the Alleged Australia Spy in a Cambodia Prison?

By Luke Hunt

James Ricketson, who has endured more than a year behind bars, is expected to know his fate soon.

June 06, 2018

A New Digital Iron Curtain in Cambodia?

By Luke Hunt

An ongoing media crackdown looks set to intensify even further.

May 15, 2018

What Does Malaysia’s Earthquake Election Mean for Democracy in Southeast Asia?

By Luke Hunt

The outcome was a rare positive note for the subregion where democracy has been suffering over the past few years.

May 15, 2018

Remembering One of Southeast Asia’s Legendary Foreign Correspondents

By Luke Hunt

A conversation with Lindsay Murdoch.

May 10, 2018

A Rocky Start for the New Phnom Penh Post Owners in Cambodia

By Luke Hunt

It didn't take long after the sale for a range of concerns to surface.

May 07, 2018

What’s Behind the Sale of a Cambodian Newspaper to a Malaysian Investor?

By Luke Hunt

The sale is raising fresh concerns about the state of press freedom in Cambodia.

May 03, 2018

The Real Trouble with the Myanmar Reuters Journalists Trial

By Luke Hunt

A recent advance should not detract from broader, troubling realities in the country.

April 20, 2018

The Trouble With Myanmar and Rohingya Repatriation

By Luke Hunt

Repatriation is running far from smoothly and justice continues to prove elusive.