- By Supratik Das
- Tue, 25 Nov 2025 02:37 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
A funeral in Thailand turned into a dramatic scene of confusion and relief when a 65-year-old woman, believed to have died two days earlier, began moving inside her coffin just moments before she was to be cremated.
The incident occurred at Wat Rat PrakhongTham, a Buddhist temple on the outskirts of Bangkok, where the woman’s family had brought her for a free cremation service. Temple staff and relatives were left stunned after hearing faint knocking from inside the white coffin that had arrived in the back of a pickup truck.
Family Believed She Had Died At Home
According to local officials, the woman, identified by relatives as Chonthirot, had been bedridden for nearly two years. Her health had deteriorated sharply last week, and she was found unresponsive at her home in Phitsanulok province on the morning of November 23. Believing she had passed away naturally, her family placed her in a coffin and began the long journey to Bangkok.
#Unbelievable! 😲 A 65-yr-old #Thai woman "came back to life" mins before cremation! Declared dead at home, she was put in a coffin for the temple. But then, staff heard knocking & faint cries from inside! 😱 She's now in the hospital - no signs of prior respiratory or cardiac… pic.twitter.com/WOpQDadj3n
— Shanghai Daily (@shanghaidaily) November 25, 2025
Her brother, Mongkol, 57, told temple staff that the family had assumed she had stopped breathing. “We had already collected the papers for her death. I was heartbroken, but today I’m just happy she is alive,” he said.
Knocking Sound From Coffin Stopped Cremation
Pairat Soodthoop, the temple’s general and financial affairs manager, said the family was discussing the cremation when he heard a soft but distinct knock.“I was a bit surprised, so I asked them to open the coffin,” he said. “Everyone stepped back. She was opening her eyes slightly and moving her hands. She must have been knocking for quite some time.”
Video shared by the temple on its Facebook page shows temple workers looking on in disbelief as the woman slowly moves her head and arms.
Before coming to the temple, the family had driven nearly 500 kilometres to Bangkok, hoping to fulfil the woman’s earlier wish to donate her organs. But the hospital declined to accept her remains, citing the absence of an official death certificate. The temple also initially refused cremation for the same reason. Pairat said he was explaining the documentation process when the faint cries for help were heard.
Low Blood Sugar Caused Misunderstanding
Doctors later confirmed that Chonthirot had not actually died. Her blood sugar had dropped to dangerously low levels, causing her to become unresponsive and appear lifeless. Temple officials immediately sent her to a nearby hospital. The abbot has reportedly offered to cover all medical expenses.
The incident has sparked discussion in Thailand about the need for proper medical confirmation before funerals, especially in rural areas.