A French national who allegedly claimed to be a religious leader was arrested on Koh Phangan on Sunday and charged with overstaying his visa, police said.

Evariste Douabou Koudoukouho, 39, was detained outside a mosque in Ban Tai by tourist police. They were looking into a complaint about a foreigner staying near the mosque who was claiming to be a religious leader and asking people to join religious activities being held there.

After seeing the man, police asked to see his passport and found that he entered the country on a 30-day tourist visa, which expired more than three months ago.

The man was charged with overstaying his visa and handed over to police at Koh Phangan station.