NONTHABURI, THAILAND – A 65-year-old woman who woke up in her coffin moments before cremation had never been dead, according to hospital doctors who blamed a severe drop in blood sugar.
Family convinced woman had died
Relatives of Chonthirasan Sakunku, 65, were firmly convinced she had passed away, and the village chief had already signed the death certificate. Her brother Mongkol acted quickly, respecting her wish to donate her body and therefore deciding against embalming. He transported her overnight from Phitsanulok to Bangkok, a tragic journey that nearly ended in cremation.
Knocking sounds from the coffin
At Wat Rat Prakong Tham in Bang Yai, monks were preparing the cremation when knocking sounds suddenly came from the coffin. Temple worker Phairat Sudthup recalled the shock of the moment.
“We have carried out thousands of cremations, but have never experienced anything like this.”
said Phairat Sudthup, temple employee.
They immediately opened the lid and found the woman conscious, leaving everyone deeply shaken.
Hospital rules out cardiac arrest
At Bang Yai Hospital, doctors discovered that there had been neither cardiac arrest nor respiratory failure. Instead, they identified severe hypoglycemia, a life-threatening drop in blood sugar, as the real cause of her collapse.
“Her main problem was low blood sugar, which was treated.”
said Bang Yai Hospital, in a statement.
According to the hospital, she could actually have gone home the same evening.
Brother stays calm as abbot intervenes
Mongkol reportedly reacted with notable composure when told his sister had survived.
“I have long experience in caring for elderly people.”
said Mongkol, the woman’s brother.
However, the relief was short-lived, as the abbot insisted she remain in hospital for further recovery.
Return to hospital may have saved her again
The rescued woman was originally supposed to travel straight back to Phitsanulok. The abbot intervened, fearing the strain of the long journey on her weakened condition, so she was sent back to Bang Yai Hospital. This decision may have saved her life a second time on this remarkable day.
Experts warn of misdiagnosis risk
Specialists explained that in cases of severe low blood sugar, vital functions can become extremely weak. Breathing and pulse may be barely detectable, making it a classic scenario for misdiagnosis of death, they cautioned. In this case, rescue came at the very last moment; a few minutes later, the woman would in fact have been cremated.
Questions over determination of death
The case raised questions locally about when a person is truly dead and who should make that determination. It also sparked debate over whether rules for confirming death need to be tightened to prevent similar incidents. The incident was first reported by ThaiRath.