According to reports from the Associated Press, a video circulating on the temple’s official Facebook page captured the precise moment: the woman, lying peacefully in her white coffin, began to stir, her arms and head showing subtle movement. Naturally, the shocked temple members immediately brought the cremation ceremony to a halt. As Pairat Soodthoop later confirmed, it was a sound, a faint knocking from within the coffin, that first alerted the staff to the possibility that the woman was, in fact, still alive.
A Muffled Knock from Inside the Coffin
Pairat shared that the woman’s brother had traveled with her from Phitsanulok Province, about 300 miles away, intending for a cremation. But when temple staff heard that faint knocking, Pairat knew they had to investigate. Upon opening the coffin, he saw her arms and head move, confirming what they hoped: she was still alive. The video of this astounding discovery quickly went viral across Thailand, capturing the sheer shock and disbelief among everyone present at the temple.
Family Believed She Had Died Days Earlier
It turns out the woman had been bedridden for two years due to declining health. Her brother told officials he believed she had stopped breathing two days prior. Thinking she had passed, he placed her in a coffin, hoping to fulfill her wish to donate her organs in Bangkok. However, hospitals required an official death certificate, which he didn’t have, so they couldn’t accept the donation.
With no other option, he then drove to Wat Rat Prakhong Tham, which offers free cremations. It was there, just before the ceremony, that the temple staff once again heard those crucial muffled knocks. They opened the coffin to find the woman faintly breathing, a true second chance at life.
She was rushed to a nearby hospital for emergency treatment, and the temple, showing incredible compassion, offered to cover all her medical expenses. This whole incident is a powerful reminder of how precious life is and the unexpected twists it can take.
