Thai woman discovered alive in coffin just before cremation

Employees at a temple in Thailand were stunned when a 65-year-old woman was discovered alive inside her coffin moments before her scheduled cremation.

The incident occurred at Wat Rat Prakhong Tham, a Buddhist temple in Nonthaburi province near Bangkok. Staff heard a faint knocking and saw slight movement inside the coffin. When they opened it, they found the woman opening her eyes and moving her arms.

The woman’s brother, who traveled from Phitsanulok—about 500 kilometers away—brought her to the temple. According to Pairat Soodthoop, the temple’s general and financial manager, the man’s sister had been bedridden for two years and recently lost consciousness, appearing to have stopped breathing two days earlier.

The brother sought hospital assistance but was turned away due to the absence of an official death certificate. He then asked the temple to perform a free cremation, but was again told that the necessary documentation was missing. During a discussion about obtaining the certificate, staff heard knocking from within the coffin. The woman was promptly examined and taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.