A remarkable incident unfolded at a Buddhist temple in Thailand when a woman was discovered alive in her coffin shortly before she was set to be cremated. The event took place at Wat Rat Prakhong Tham in Nonthaburi, located on the outskirts of Bangkok. A video shared on the temple’s Facebook page captured the moment when the 65-year-old woman began to move within her coffin, astonishing the staff present.
According to Pairat Soodthoop, the temple’s general and financial affairs manager, the woman’s brother had transported her from Phitsanulok province for cremation. As they arrived, the staff heard a faint knocking coming from the coffin. “I was a bit surprised, so I asked them to open the coffin, and everyone was startled,” Pairat explained. “I saw her opening her eyes slightly and knocking on the side of the coffin. She must have been knocking for quite some time.”
The woman had reportedly been bedridden for approximately two years due to health complications. Two days prior to the incident, her condition had worsened, leading her brother to believe she had stopped breathing. He then placed her in a coffin and undertook the 500-kilometer (approximately 300 miles) journey to a hospital in Bangkok, where the woman had previously expressed a desire to donate her organs.
Upon arrival, however, the hospital refused to accept the brother’s offer, citing the lack of an official death certificate. Pairat noted that the temple offers a free cremation service, which is why the brother sought their assistance on March 3, 2024. Unfortunately, the temple also turned him away due to the missing documentation.
While Pairat was explaining the process for obtaining a death certificate, the sound of knocking interrupted him. Following this astonishing discovery, temple staff assessed the woman and quickly transported her to a nearby hospital for further evaluation. Pairat confirmed that the temple would cover her medical expenses in light of the extraordinary circumstances.
This incident not only highlights the importance of proper medical assessments but also serves as a poignant reminder of the fragility of life and the unexpected moments that can change our understanding of it.
