A family in Thailand was left stunned after their grandmother, believed to be dead, suddenly regained consciousness and began banging on her coffin lid just moments before she was to be cremated.
According to a news article published by the Daily Mail, Chonthirot, 65, had been declared dead at her home in Phitsanulok province in the early hours of November 23.
Her relatives, convinced she had passed away peacefully, placed her in a white coffin and set off on a four-hour, 225-mile journey to a temple on the outskirts of Bangkok.
The temple offers free funeral and cremation services for families with limited means.
However, the solemn trip took a dramatic turn when the pickup truck carrying the coffin arrived at the temple. The woman, described as frail, is said to have regained consciousness inside the casket, startling her family when they heard her knocking from within.
Video footage captured the moment Chonthirot moved inside the coffin, even brushing flies away from her face as shocked relatives watched.
Her younger brother, 57-year-old Mongkol, said Chonthirot had been bedridden for two years and was found unresponsive at about 2 am.
He said he had already completed and submitted documentation confirming her death to the Buddhist monk who was to conduct the cremation rites.
“I was shocked, surprised, and happy that my sister was still alive,” Mongkol said. “I nearly collapsed from the shock. It’s a miracle that she woke up.”
Temple worker Thammanoon, 27, who was preparing to move the coffin into the ceremonial hall, said he suddenly heard faint knocking and a weak plea for help coming from inside the box.
“I pulled back the cloth covering her and froze when I saw she was still moving,” he recounted. “She was conscious, breathing weakly, and nodding her head, but she couldn’t speak. I was stunned—I’ve never experienced anything like this.”
An ambulance was called immediately, and Chonthirot was rushed to Bang Yai Hospital for treatment. The Wat Rat Prakhong Tham temple has offered to cover her medical expenses.
Temple abbot Phra Kitti Wachirathada said he had never witnessed such an occurrence in his years of service and expressed relief for the family, noting they had been granted an unexpected second chance with their loved one.
This is not the first time Thailand has reported such an incident. In February, an 85-year-old woman in Buriram province was said to have “come back to life” after being declared dead for 40 minutes.
As relatives prepared her body for funeral rites, Pua Sriphueng allegedly sat up with her eyes wide open.
Family members later claimed she displayed childlike behaviour, demanded sweets, and adopted religious practices she had previously avoided.
