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.
June 08, 2012
Good Week for Hun Sen
The Cambodian People’s Party has done well in commune elections, giving Prime Minister Hun Sen a boost.
June 07, 2012
Malaysia’s Maid Controversy
Indonesia has ended a three-year ban on its women becoming maids in Malaysia. But they’re not flocking back.
May 31, 2012
Thailand's Two Faces
Aung San Suu Kyi’s trip to Thailand was good for its image. The case of Chiranuch Premchaiporn? Not so much.
May 29, 2012
Defeat for Singapore’s PAP
Singapore’s People’s Action Party gets another wake up call after a much watched by-election at the weekend.
May 25, 2012
Hun Sen on Election Footing
Commune elections next month are set to offer an interesting test of the Cambodian People’s Party’s popularity.
May 22, 2012
ASEAN's Fake Drug Problem
A study shows a third of anti-malarial drugs in Southeast Asia are fake. Lack of uniform standards is a problem.
May 19, 2012
China’s Un-Neighborly Fishing Ban
China has launched its annual South China Sea commercial fishing ban. But does it care about conservation?
May 18, 2012
Singapore’s Facebook Windfall
Eduardo Saverin may save huge amounts in U.S. taxes with Singapore as his home. Not everyone is happy.
May 10, 2012
Lady Gaga: Threat to Kids?
Indonesia’s Islamic Defenders Front says Lady Gaga threatens morality. The government should ignore it.
May 09, 2012
Thailand’s Uncle SMS is Dead
The death of a man held in Thailand over lèse-majesté laws highlights the gap between rulers and their people.
May 08, 2012
Khmer Rouge, a Family Affair
The latest evidence at Cambodia’s landmark trial offers some grisly insights into how the Khmer Rouge operated during Pol Pot’s reign.
May 05, 2012
Laos: Xayaburi Dam Halted. Really.
Laos reassures its neighbors that work on the Xayaburi dam is on hold. But there are some mixed signals.