A 65-year-old woman startled staff at a Buddhist temple near Bangkok when she moved inside her coffin while being prepared for cremation.
Wat Rat Prakhong Tham temple shared footage showing the woman lying in a white coffin in the back of a pickup truck, her arms and head shifting slightly. Temple manager Pairat Soodthoop said the woman’s brother had transported her from Phitsanulok province, believing she had passed away.
“We heard a faint knock coming from the coffin,” Pairat said. “When we opened it, she opened her eyes and was knocking on the side. Everyone was stunned.”
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The woman had been bedridden for two years and appeared unresponsive for two days. Her brother had tried to take her to a Bangkok hospital, where she had planned to donate her organs, but staff refused admission due to the lack of a death certificate. The temple also initially declined cremation without proper documentation.
After hearing the knocks, the temple assessed her condition and sent her to a nearby hospital. Pairat confirmed that the temple abbot would cover her medical expenses.