Damned in Cambodia

Published on Jan 15, 2021 by Luke Hunt

A podcast with Ou Virak. As President of the Future Forum think tank in Cambodia Ou Virak has dealt with many contentious issues ranging from human rights to elections and economic analysis to the rise of China.He says the Mekong River, climate change and upstream dam construction are the looming issues that governments around mainland Southeast Asia will be confronted with over the coming years in conjunction with China’s overwhelming influence. Luke Hunt chats with Ou Virak in his latest podcast for The Diplomat. Listen here..

Dams & Debt put Laos on Thin Ice

Published on Sep 19, 2020 by Luke Hunt

For almost a decade, Laos has been warned that its extravagant spending spree on infrastructure carried enormous financial risks that threatened to undermine its sovereignty and efforts to raise living standards among the poor. Those warnings fell on deaf ears as Vientiane — hell-bent on becoming the “Battery of Asia” — borrowed heavily and built hydropower dams to sell electricity into neighboring countries, plus highways, bridges and railways. It was an unfathomable wish list. Read more. .

All Along the Mekong

Published on Jul 16, 2020 by Luke Hunt

A television production for Voice of America produced by Bomborra focussing on drought, dams and climate change along the Mekong River.PHNOM PENH – As the monsoon gets underway across Indochina, farmers and fishermen are praying for rain after a lengthy drought — aggravated by climate change and dam construction.This year the Mekong River has seen its lowest levels since record keeping began 60 years ago. According to the Mekong River Commission, rainfall over the Lower Mekong Basin (LMB) — encompassing parts of Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam — in May was about 68 per cent lower than in May 2019.  Read, watch and listen here..

Rescuing the Endangered

Published on Jun 21, 2020 by Luke Hunt

A podcast with Marcus Hardtke who graduated in environmental law before moving from his native Germany to Southeast Asia where he has earned a no-nonsense reputation when dealing with illegal trading in wildlife and timber more than 25 years ago.He spoke with The Diplomat’s Luke Hunt about the realities of saving pristine wilderness areas from logging and how to trap traders of endangered species, like the pangolin, which Beijing has banned from use in traditional Chinese medicine.To listen click here..

COVID Wildlife

Published on Jun 13, 2020 by Luke Hunt

PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA – Illegal wildlife markets could be consigned to the dustbins of history within five years amid a public outcry over their capacity to spread disease, and a widespread belief that the trade at least contributed to the coronavirus pandemic. It’s a sentiment that has been backed by a survey by the World Wildlife Fund and strategic consultants GlobeScan, covering five key markets in East Asia, where consumption from illegal wildlife markets remains prevalent. Read more from VoA. .