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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

September 16, 2016

Cambodia’s Ruling Elite One Step Closer to International Court

By Luke Hunt

Court rules that company bosses and complicit politicians can be tried for land grabbing and environmental destruction.

September 15, 2016

The Changing Face of ASEAN

By Luke Hunt

Myanmar, Laos, and Vietnam offer an unlikely breath of fresh air.

September 09, 2016

Will Cambodia’s Rulers Be Dragged to Court?

By Luke Hunt

The murder of a government critic may be added to the regime’s growing list of transgressions.

September 01, 2016

Duterte’s War on Terror Makes More Sense Than His Drug Error

By Luke Hunt

While the Philippine leader’s drug crackdown is concerning, his pledge to root out the Abu Sayyaf makes more sense.

August 25, 2016

Does Australia's War Memory Need a Rethink?

By Luke Hunt

A recent incident between Australia and Vietnam points to a broader problem.

August 13, 2016

Deadly Explosions Rock Thailand As Indonesia Terror Meeting Concludes

By Luke Hunt

A spate of bombs is the latest indicator of a rising terror threat in the region.

August 06, 2016

Two Letters for Cambodia's Hun Sen

By Luke Hunt

A window into the issues the premier currently faces and how he prefers to respond to them.

August 04, 2016

Executions Cast a Pall Over Indonesia and Its 'War on Drugs'

By Luke Hunt

Despite promising to improve Indonesia's human rights records, President Jokowi has upped the pace of executions.

July 27, 2016

US Lawsuits Deepen Malaysia's 1MDB Scandal

By Luke Hunt

Malaysian premier Najib Razak is believed to be linked to the stolen funds.

July 21, 2016

Kem Ley's Murder and Cambodia's Other Worries

By Luke Hunt

The killing is only one of a series of concerns that has surfaced in the Southeast Asian state in recent weeks.

July 11, 2016

What's Behind the Death of a Prominent Cambodia Government Critic?

By Luke Hunt

Kem Ley was shot dead in broad daylight on Sunday morning

July 07, 2016

How Rich Are Cambodia’s Hun Sen and His Family?

By Luke Hunt

A new report reveals specifics about the leader and his family's net worth.