A Thai grandmother gave her family the shock of their lives when she miraculously awoke inside her coffin just moments before her scheduled cremation, after being declared dead for several hours.
The Tragic Discovery
Chonthirot, a 65-year-old grandmother from Phitsanulok in northern Thailand, was found apparently lifeless in the early hours of November 23. Her younger brother, Mongkol, 57, discovered her at approximately 2 am local time and confirmed she showed no signs of life.
The family, believing she had passed away peacefully after being bedridden for two years, followed standard procedures. Mongkol completed the necessary paperwork officially confirming his sister's death and prepared her body for the funeral process.
The Miraculous Awakening
The family placed Chonthirot in a simple white coffin and began the four-hour, 225-mile journey to Wat Rat Prakhong Tham temple on the outskirts of Bangkok, which provides free cremation services to families in financial difficulty.
It was only when the pickup truck carrying her coffin arrived at the temple that the incredible truth emerged. Temple worker Thammanoon, 27, was preparing to move the wooden casket into the ceremony hall when he heard disturbing sounds coming from inside.
"I heard knocking and a faint cry for help coming from inside the coffin," Thammanoon recounted. "I peeled back the cloth covering her and froze when I saw she was still moving. She was conscious, breathing weakly, and nodding her head, but she was unable to speak."
Family's Emotional Rollercoaster
Footage from the scene shows the wispy grandmother moving within the casket and even wiping flies from her face as her astonished relatives looked on in complete disbelief.
Mongkol expressed the family's overwhelming emotions, stating: "I was shocked, surprised, and happy that my sister was still alive. I nearly collapsed from surprise. It's a miracle that she woke up."
He had already handed the death confirmation paperwork to the Buddhist monk who was scheduled to perform the funeral service when the incredible awakening occurred.
Aftermath and Medical Care
An ambulance promptly arrived at the temple to transport Chonthirot to Bang Yai Hospital for proper medical assessment and treatment. In a generous gesture, the Wat Rat Prakhong Tham temple announced it would cover all of her medical expenses.
Temple abbot Phra Kitti Wachirathada expressed his astonishment at the unprecedented event, noting he had never witnessed anything similar during his years serving at the temple. He added that he felt genuine happiness for the family, who had been given a second chance with their beloved grandmother.
This remarkable case echoes another incident from February, when an 85-year-old grandmother in northeast Thailand reportedly returned to life after being dead for 40 minutes, according to local reports.
