Surat Thani —
Tourist police arrested a French man claiming to be a religious leader on Koh Phangan in Thailand’s southern province of Surat Thani on June 23rd, 2024. The man was found to have overstayed his visa by 3 months.
The man, publicly identified by police as Mr. Evarist Doabu Kudukuho, 39, was arrested at the Bulau Malay Mosque in the Baan Tai sub-district, Koh Phangan district, Surat Thani province.
The arrest came after concerned citizens made complaints about the French man claiming to be a Muslim religious leader. According to police, Mr. Kudukuho, who resided near the mosque, attended Islamic religious ceremonies and invited foreign tourists visiting Koh Phangan to join him, claiming he was a religious leader.
Authorities approached Mr. Kudukuho, but he displayed suspicious behavior. When asked for his passport, Mr. Kudukuho claimed that he left it at his tent near the mosque. Officers escorted him to the tent and checked his documents. However, it was discovered that he had overstayed his 30-day tourist visa by over 3 months.
Authorities arrested Mr. Kudukuho and transferred him to the Koh Phangan Police Station for legal proceedings. It was unclear if he faced any offenses related to his pretense of being a religious leader.
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