In a miraculous turn of events that has shocked medical professionals and the public alike, a 65-year-old woman who was declared dead and prepared for cremation was discovered to be alive when she began knocking from inside her coffin just minutes before the procedure.
The Terrifying Discovery
The incident occurred at the Wat Rat Prakongtham crematorium in Nonthaburi, on the outskirts of Bangkok, Thailand. Chonthirat Sakulkoo, who had been sick for two years, was initially found unresponsive by her brother, Mongkol Sakulkoo, who had cared for her throughout her illness.
According to local authorities who didn't realize she was still alive, the woman was declared dead without proper medical certification. Her brother revealed that officials told him his sister had passed away and provided all necessary documents for her cremation.
The Journey to the Crematorium
Mongkol Sakulkoo explained his harrowing experience: "I've cared for my sister for three years. Officials told us she had died. All the documents had been issued, so we placed her in a coffin and brought her to the temple for cremation."
Before proceeding to the crematorium, Sakulkoo had attempted to honor his sister's wishes by taking her to Chulalongkorn University Hospital to donate her organs. However, hospital officials refused to accept the body because no doctor had certified the woman as deceased.
This rejection prompted the grieving brother to drive directly to the Wat Rat Prakongtham crematorium, where workers also informed him that cremation couldn't proceed without official medical certification of death.
The Miracle Knock
During discussions with crematorium staff about the missing documentation, the unbelievable happened: Chonthirat began knocking on the inside of her coffin to signal that she was still alive.
"I was a bit surprised, so I asked them to open the coffin, and everyone was startled," Sakulkoo recalled. "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 was immediately rushed to Bang Yai Hospital, where medical professionals examined her and determined she was responsive. Doctors diagnosed her with acute hypoglycemia - a critically low level of blood sugar that can cause deep unresponsiveness resembling death.
Public Reaction and Medical Implications
The near-tragic incident, which occurred in late November 2025, has sparked widespread discussion about medical protocols for declaring death. A video shared on TikTok by NBC News garnered numerous comments from concerned social media users.
One user questioned: "Aren't you supposed to get an attestation from a doctor that she is positively not alive? This is bad - can you imagine being cremated alive?"
Another commenter expressed similar concerns: "That's scary - who gave the time of death?"
Medical experts emphasize that cases of mistaken death declaration, while rare, highlight the importance of proper medical certification before any burial or cremation procedures. The woman remains alive and continues to receive medical care following the traumatic incident.
