Woman Awakens Moments Before Funeral Pyre
A 65-year-old Thai woman, thought to be deceased for two days, miraculously awoke inside her coffin just moments before she was due to be cremated. The astonishing incident occurred at the Wat Rat Prakhong Tham temple on the outskirts of Bangkok.
A Faint Knock from the Coffin
Temple manager Pairat Soodthoop was preparing for the service, which was scheduled to be live-streamed, when he heard a startling sound. "I was a bit surprised, so I asked them to open the coffin, and everyone was startled," he recounted. "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, identified by the Thairath newspaper as Chonthirat Sakulkoo, had been bedridden for two years. Her health had recently deteriorated, and she became unresponsive, appearing to stop breathing. Believing she had passed away, her brother, Mongkol Sakulkoo, was reportedly informed by local officials that his sister had died.
A Long Journey for a Final Goodbye
Acting on this belief, Mr Sakulkoo placed his sister in a coffin and embarked on a 300-mile (500km) journey from their home in Phitsanulok province to the capital. The woman had expressed a wish to donate her organs to a hospital in Bangkok. However, her brother was turned away as he did not possess the necessary paperwork.
He subsequently took the body to Wat Rat Prakhong Tham, a temple known for offering free cremation services. It was there, in the final moments before the ceremony, that the faint knocking was heard, halting the proceedings.
Recovery and a Brother's Indifference
After being discovered alive, the woman was assessed and transported to Bang Yai Hospital. Medical staff diagnosed her with hypoglycemia, a condition involving low blood sugar that can cause loss of consciousness, and provided treatment. She was later released back into her brother's care.
In a curious turn, when asked about his sister's revival, Mr Sakulkoo reportedly expressed indifference. In a gesture of compassion, temple manager Mr Soodthoop stated that the temple would cover her medical expenses.
