An Israeli former soldier has been arrested for illegally working as a tour guide for foreign children on Koh Phangan.

Police on Tuesday detained David Gozlan, 45, while he was leading a group of 23 children of foreigners to Wang Sai waterfall in the north of the island.

Police had been observing Mr Gozlan since Sunday and saw him working several times, paying the 20 baht entry fee for all the children, providing them with meals and arranging transport for them.

He led groups of 10-30 people each time, police said. He allegedly attracted customers via the app Whatsapp, creating a group with the name “Exploring Nature with Uncle” and accepting memberships from the children's parents.

The tours were priced at 800 baht per person for a one-day trip and 6,000 to 8,000 baht per person for a 7-day package. Trip destinations were varied, such as a waterfall, a beach, a temple or a café, police said.

According to police, Mr Gozlan admitted to the charge of working without a permit and illegally operating as a tour guide, a job reserved for Thais.

Mr Gozlan said he was a former special forces soldier in the Israeli army.