Fears grow for Australian Claire Johnson who is locked up in Thailand since January 8

An Australian tourist locked up in Thailand has gone silent on social media after sending a flurry of frantic texts, provoking fears for her safety. 

Claire Johnson, 46, was due back in Sydney from Thailand on January 8 but has reportedly overstayed her Thai visa by one day, and has since been locked up in immigration detention. 

Her friend, Juliet Potter, received a series of texts asking for help on Monday night and is the one who raised the alarm following the mother-of-two’s unusual social media silence.  

Claire Johnson, 46, was due back in Sydney on January 8, but a week later contacted a friend to tell her she was ‘so scared’ and locked up in immigration detention

Juliet Potter said she had been told by a friend that Ms Johnson may have accidentally overstayed her Thai visa by one day

Juliet Potter said she had been told by a friend that Ms Johnson may have accidentally overstayed her Thai visa by one day

‘I’m extremely concerned for her … God knows where she is and who she’s with. There’s just no detail on where she is,’ Ms Potter told the Gold Coast Bulletin.

‘She’s a very attractive woman and I am concerned for her.’ 

Ms Johnson recently divorced from her husband and travelled overseas for work for a year and was due back to live in Ms Potter’s flat. 

‘I was excited to have my friend back … but looks like that’s not happening any time soon.’

According to the publication, Ms Johnson was asked to pay a fine to the police and book another plane ticket to leave the country.

Another friend of Ms Johnson’s paid the 3000 Baht fine ($A130) and bought her a ticket to return back to Sydney on Saturday 12. 

Despite paying the fine and having another ticket, it is believed Ms Johnson still hasn’t left the detention centre.

There are grave fears for Australian tourist Claire Johnson (pictured), who sent frantic text messages from a Thailand detention centre after 'some pretty serious stuff went down'

There are grave fears for Australian tourist Claire Johnson (pictured), who sent frantic text messages from a Thailand detention centre after ‘some pretty serious stuff went down’

'They are taking my phone... Have to go,' Ms Johnson wrote to friend, Juliet Potter

‘They are taking my phone… Have to go,’ Ms Johnson wrote to friend, Juliet Potter

Ms Johnson’s friends first raised concerns when, on the day she was due to fly home, she posted on Facebook: ‘All grand adventures end with a big bang’.    

When one asked what was wrong, Ms Johnson said she would not be boarding her plane home and the situation was ‘serious’.

‘Some pretty serious stuff went down. I’m flying in Saturday talk to you next week x,’ she responded.

‘It’s not good! Now waiting for the plot twist and happy ending!’ Ms Johnson wrote.  

Ms Johnson's friends first raised concerns when, on the day she was due to fly home, she posted on Facebook: 'All grand adventures end with a big bang'

Ms Johnson’s friends first raised concerns when, on the day she was due to fly home, she posted on Facebook: ‘All grand adventures end with a big bang’

'She needs help... She apparently had to pay somebody,' Ms Potter said of Ms Johnson (pictured)

‘She needs help… She apparently had to pay somebody,’ Ms Potter said of Ms Johnson (pictured)

In a string of panic-stiken text messages to friend Juliet Potter (pictured), Ms Johnson begged for help and said she was 'so scared... get media involved'

In a string of panic-stiken text messages to friend Juliet Potter (pictured), Ms Johnson begged for help and said she was ‘so scared… get media involved’

On Monday night, in a string of panic-stricken text messages to Ms Potter, the mother-of-two begged for help and said she was ‘so scared… get media involved.’ 

‘They are taking my phone… Have to go,’ Ms Johnson wrote to Ms Potter.

Ms Potter told Daily Mail Australia her friend was terrified and had no idea why she had been detained. 

‘She needs help… She apparently had to pay somebody,’ Ms Potter said. 

‘She called me and asked me to wire her some money. She said something about wanting to buy a blanket in the jail – you must have to buy a pillow and a blanket.’ 

In a message to another friend, Ms Johnson (pictured) said she was 'panicking' as she was taken into custody

In a message to another friend, Ms Johnson (pictured) said she was ‘panicking’ as she was taken into custody

In a message to another friend, Ms Johnson said she was ‘panicking’ as she was taken into custody. 

‘They said the detention centre is not like a jail. I am praying he is right,’ she wrote.

‘Now I know what it feels like to be a prisoner. They won’t even let me go to the toilet by myself.’ 

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said it was providing consular assistance to an Australian woman detained in Thailand.

‘For privacy reasons we are unable to provide further details,’ the department told Daily Mail Australia in a statement.  

Ms Potter claimed the department wasn’t doing enough to help her friend, who she hasn’t heard from since the text message exchange.   

‘I don’t think they are [providing assistance]. Otherwise she would never had reached out to me – and she’s still over there, she’s not home,’ she said. 

Ms Johnson describes herself on Facebook as a ‘international medical tourism promoter, photographer, freelance journalist, world traveller.’ 

 

 

 

 

 

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk