Reach Sambath: 1964-2011

Published on May 16, 2011 by Luke Hunt

As a war correspondent, Reach Sambath was among the bravest. Luke Hunt writes.Throughout the 1990s, Reach Sambath earned his stripes as the journalist ‘who got on the chopper first’ when Cambodia’s warring factions went into battle. Later on, he emerged alongside his most affable compatriots as his country began stitching together a peace. Sambath, sadly, passed away Wednesday after a massive stroke. He was 47 (we think).When I began as bureau chief for Agence France-Presse (AFP) in Cambodia on July 1, 2001, Sambath’s exploits had already lent him an air of superiority. With his great friend Ker Munthit at Associated Press, the pair had formed the formidable local backbone of the international press corps in Cambodia. They survived the Khmer....

Peter Mackler: 1949-2008

Published on Jun 22, 2008 by Luke Hunt

Tough Love & Cold Cans Of BeerFrom Luke HuntThe glint in Peter Mackler’s eye when he had his hands on a story destined for the front pages of the world’s newspapers was as marvelous as it was memorable.His bearded smile had all the cheek and gusto of a man in his prime, as he struggled to contain himself, for just a few minutes, long enough to hammer out the words faster than the competition.In Iraq during the 2003 invasion, he was in his element pretty much every day.For an outsider the race to cover firefights, massacres and the everyday bloodshed of Iraq might sound macabre.But what stood out amid the mayhem, absurdities and the sheer nastiness of conflict was Peter’s....

Kim Ly Song: 1943-2007

Published on Feb 28, 2007 by Luke Hunt

Ly Kim-Song; A Great Journalistic BackboneFrom Luke HuntPHNOM PENH — Any idiot can cover a firefight, it has often been said among journalists. The real trick is getting in, getting out and not fouling up the job by getting yourself killed.Success depends on common sense, solid equipment and most importantly your backup. For many a journalist and photographer in Cambodia Ly Kim-Song was that backup.Mr Song, as he was known to everyone, died suddenly on Sunday, January 14, after a period of illness. He was 64.Song was born in the southeastern province of Svay Rieng where he spent his formative years before moving to Phnom Penh. He graduated from Sisowath High School, married Tat Kim Huoy in 1966 and they....

Pham Xuan An: 1927-2006

Published on Nov 20, 2006 by Luke Hunt

During the Vietnam War, journalist Pham Xuan An covertly straddled two worlds. As a correspondent for Time and Reuters, An was a champion of the Western liberal media; as a spy for Hanoi, he played a significant part in communism triumphing in his homeland. Read more. Prominent North Vietnamese Communist Defector Dies The Vietnam War’s Great Lie The Vietnam War Spy Who Didn’t Love Us .