A routine cremation ceremony at a Buddhist temple in central Thailand took a startling turn after a 65-year-old woman, previously declared dead, was found alive inside her coffin. Monks preparing the cremation reported hearing faint knocking from within the wooden casket, prompting them to open it immediately. To their shock, the woman was moving and struggling to breathe.

Local officials said the woman had been pronounced dead at home after reportedly falling unconscious. Her family transported her to the temple for customary funeral rites without involving medical personnel. It was only as the coffin was being prepared for the cremation chamber that temple workers heard unusual sounds.

Paramedics called to the scene confirmed she still had a pulse and transported her to a nearby hospital for emergency care. Doctors say cases of apparent death followed by spontaneous signs of life are rare but can occur when vital signs become extremely faint or when an initial assessment is carried out without proper medical equipment.

The incident has prompted scrutiny of informal death declarations in rural areas, where families often proceed directly to funeral arrangements. Local authorities say the episode could renew calls for mandatory medical verification before any cremation is authorised.

For the temple staff who opened the coffin, the moment remains unforgettable, a reminder that even long-held traditions can collide with unexpected reality.