A funeral in Thailand took a terrifying and surreal turn when mourners and temple staff claimed they heard frantic knocking coming from inside a woman’s coffin — moments before her scheduled cremation. The incident, which unfolded at a Buddhist temple in Udon Thani province, has left locals in shock and raised chilling questions about what really happened inside that coffin.
According to temple workers, the 70-year-old woman — identified by local media as Phanida Supattra — had been pronounced dead at her home after collapsing suddenly earlier in the week. Her body was prepared for cremation following Buddhist custom, and the ceremony had already begun when several attendees reported hearing “faint but distinct” tapping noises from inside the wooden coffin.
“At first we thought it was wind or wood creaking,” said monk Phra Somchai, who was leading the funeral rites. “But then everyone stopped. The sound was clear — three knocks, then a pause, then more. It was coming from inside.”
“Mourners in Thailand say cremation was halted after knocking was heard inside the coffin moments before lighting the pyre.” @guardian
Panicked relatives rushed forward, demanding the coffin be opened before the cremation fire was lit. Temple staff quickly halted the ceremony and pried open the lid. What they saw inside, witnesses say, “made the whole crowd gasp.”
“Her body was still warm,” one relative told Nation Thailand. “She wasn’t moving, but there was color in her cheeks — and her chest looked like it was faintly rising. We thought she was dead, but maybe she wasn’t.”
Emergency responders were immediately called to the scene. Paramedics confirmed that the woman showed weak but measurable vital signs, including a pulse and shallow breathing. “It was the most shocking thing I’ve ever seen,” one paramedic told Reuters. “If they had gone ahead with the cremation, she would’ve been burned alive.”
“A woman believed to be dead was found breathing as temple staff opened her coffin minutes before cremation.” @reuters
The woman was rushed to Udon Thani Hospital, where doctors confirmed she was in a deep coma, possibly caused by a rare condition known as cataleptic trance — a state that can mimic death by drastically slowing heart rate and respiration. “It’s rare but not unheard of,” said neurologist Dr. Vichai Theerapong. “In such cases, the body appears lifeless, and without advanced equipment, even experienced professionals can misdiagnose it as death.”
Family members, still shaken, said they believed the knocking was their mother’s desperate attempt to escape before it was too late. “She was trying to tell us she was alive,” her daughter, Pimchanok, told CNN. “I can’t stop thinking — what if we hadn’t heard her? What if the music had been louder?”
Local authorities confirmed the cremation was halted indefinitely pending a medical evaluation and an investigation into how the death certificate was issued. “We will determine if negligence occurred,” said Thai PBS correspondent Pol. Lt. Col. Surasak Jinda. “But first, our priority is the woman’s recovery.”
“Thai officials are investigating how a woman declared dead could still be alive hours later.” @abcnews
The eerie event has ignited a wave of disbelief across Thailand, with videos from the funeral site circulating widely on TikTok and X. In one clip viewed over 10 million times, temple staff can be seen fanning the woman’s face as others chant prayers of thanks. “Everyone thought it was a miracle,” a mourner told BBC Asia. “People were crying and shouting that her spirit had returned.”
Doctors, however, urged caution against assuming divine intervention. “She likely suffered from a cardiac episode or oxygen deprivation that mimicked death,” said World Health Organization medical advisor Dr. Suda Lekchai. “This is a reminder of the importance of proper verification before cremation or burial — especially in rural areas.”
Still, locals are calling it nothing short of a miracle. “You can explain it medically, but we saw it with our own eyes,” one temple worker said. “She was knocking. We all heard it.”
“Witnesses say they heard distinct knocking from inside the coffin before stopping the cremation.” @people
As of Tuesday, hospital officials confirmed that Phanida remains in stable condition and has been placed under observation. Her family says she has since shown signs of responsiveness, including slight eye movement and hand twitching. “It feels like she’s fighting her way back,” said her daughter. “She’s always been strong — even death couldn’t take her.”
For now, the temple where the incident occurred has suspended all cremation services pending a review of safety procedures. “No one wants to hear knocking ever again,” a senior monk admitted. “It shook everyone to their core.”
Across Thailand, the story has reignited cultural superstitions about death and rebirth. Many Buddhists view the incident as a sign of karmic intervention or a “second chance at life.” Social media is filled with messages calling the woman “the lady who returned from the fire.”
As one local paper wrote this morning, “The woman who was almost cremated alive now lies breathing once more — proof, perhaps, that life and death are never as far apart as we think.”
