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.
January 29, 2013
Hun Sen’s Battle for Middle Earth
Cambodia has certainly endured its share of turbulent times. Its long-serving Prime Minister Hun Sen will soon go to the polls. The Diplomat profiles him here.
January 25, 2013
Thai Activist Jailed for 11 Years on Lese Majeste Charges
Thai magazine editor Somyot Prueksakasemsuk has been charged with insulting the king.
January 23, 2013
Laos Finally Called Out over Xayaburi Dam
Are regional tensions over the Xayaburi Dam coming to a head?
January 18, 2013
Bears Win Reprieve in Vietnam
A sanctuary devoted to bears rescued from bile farms has won a reprieve from the government.
January 17, 2013
ASEAN Heads to the Ballot Box in 2013
Although voters in at least four ASEAN countries will go to the polls this year, don’t expect much change.
January 11, 2013
Vietnam Jails More Bloggers
Many Vietnamese increasingly rely on bloggers for information. Recent events could be cause for concern.
January 09, 2013
The Curious Case of Sombath Somphone
Many are demanding answers regarding Sombath Somphone’s disappearance in Laos.
January 08, 2013
End of 30-Year Hunt for Marcos Billions?
The Philippines may conclude its effort to retrieve the former dictator’s fortune — with less than half recovered.
January 03, 2013
Burma Confirms Airstrikes on Kachin Rebels
While Burma has opened up to the outside world and undertaken political reform, internal strife remains.
January 01, 2013
ASEAN's Year in Review
2012 saw ASEAN making global headlines over the South China Sea, while member nations tackled a host of internal challenges — some better than others.
December 29, 2012
A New Player in the Narcotics Trade
Indonesia’s National Narcotics Agency is concerned Iranian drug syndicates are using asylum seekers as smugglers.
December 28, 2012
Cambodia's Holiday Cheer
Faced with hard work and poverty most days of the year, holidays offer a form of empowerment for Cambodians.