A 65-year-old Thai woman believed dead wakes up moments before her cremation at a temple in Nonthaburi. Doctors confirm she was not dead, only suffering from extreme hypoglycemia, or dangerously low blood sugar and is now stable.
A 65-year-old woman believed dead last Saturday was found alive just before her cremation Sunday morning at a temple in Nonthaburi, near Bangkok. Her brother had travelled overnight from Phitsanulok earlier to bring her body to Chulalongkorn University Hospital. However, officials insisted on an autopsy report. Because the body had no formalin injection to preserve it, her brother, Mr. Mongkol, decided to cremate it instead. On Sunday night, doctors at Bang Yai Hospital examined the woman, identified as Ms. Chonthirat Sakulkoo, and declared her fit to go home. They said she had suffered an extreme case of hypoglycemia, or dangerously low blood sugar.
A Bangkok hospital on Monday confirmed that a 65-year-old woman previously declared dead had no respiratory or cardiac arrest. Instead, doctors identified hypoglycemia as her primary condition. Mrs. Chonthirat Sakulkoo’s case began in Phitsanulok Province, where her younger brother, Mr. Mongkol Sakulkoo, found her unresponsive. Consequently, he sought to donate her body to Chulalongkorn Hospital. He travelled overnight, leaving home at 3:00 a.m., and arrived in Bangkok around 10:00 a.m.
However, the hospital refused to accept the corpse. Staff stated they required an autopsy report. Therefore, Mr. Mongkol was instructed to file a report at Yannawa Police Station. At the station, authorities directed him to a different location to submit the report.
Brother was told to file report at police station after hospital refused to accept body without autopsy
Due to time concerns and the lack of formalin injection, Mr. Mongkol subsequently decided to transport the body to Wat Rat Prakong Tham temple in Sao Thong Hin Subdistrict, Bang Yai District, Nonthaburi Province. The temple provides free cremation services.
While temple officials prepared to move the coffin, they heard a knocking sound. Upon opening it, they discovered that Mrs. Chonthirat had moved. Immediately, they checked her vital signs using equipment and confirmed she was alive.
Officials rushed her to Bang Yai Hospital. Subsequently, doctors conducted a full medical examination. By 8:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 23, 2015, the hospital notified Mr. Mongkol that his sister could return home for recovery. Doctors confirmed she had never experienced apnea or cardiac arrest. Instead, hypoglycemia had caused her unresponsive state, and initial treatment had been administered.
Before the incident, Mr. Mongkol said his sister had stopped breathing since the previous Saturday. Village authorities and relatives declared her dead. The headman signed official documents to facilitate a coffin donation. Because her body had been promised to Chulalongkorn Hospital, he acted quickly to prevent decomposition.
Brother acted quickly to prevent decomposition after sister was declared dead by village authorities
Mr. Mongkol transported the body in a coffin, covering it with plastic to prevent indecent exposure. He planned to deliver it directly to the hospital. When refused, he decided on the temple instead.
At the temple, officials again prepared to conduct cremation rituals. However, a loud knocking on the coffin lid startled staff. Upon opening it, they observed the woman breathing. Temple staff immediately arranged transport to Bang Yai Hospital.
The abbot instructed that Mrs. Chonthirat recover at the hospital before returning to Phitsanulok. Consequently, a rescue vehicle was sent to transfer her.
Mr. Mongkol described his reaction to discovering his sister alive as calm. He attributed it to years of working with elderly patients and frequent exposure to critical conditions.
Temple treasurer Mr. Pairat Sudthup confirmed that this was the first such incident in his career. He has overseen thousands of cremations and has never seen someone declared dead regain consciousness.
Temple staff discovered woman alive after knocking on coffin, startling officials during cremation
The entire incident was livestreamed on the temple’s Facebook page. Temple officials confirmed that movement in the coffin prompted immediate medical intervention.
According to hospital records, Mrs. Chonthirat’s vital signs were stable upon arrival at Bang Yai Hospital. Doctors ruled out previous respiratory or cardiac arrest. The examination concluded that hypoglycemia caused her unresponsive state.
The village headman confirmed signing the death documentation before the coffin donation. Relatives stated that Mr. Mongkol acted quickly due to concerns over body decomposition without formalin.
Mr. Mongkol said he left home at 3:00 a.m. and reached Bangkok by 10:00 a.m. He reported the hospital’s refusal to accept the body without documentation. After police instructions, he chose the temple for cremation.
Hospital records confirm woman was stable with no cardiac or respiratory arrest after being declared dead
Bang Yai Hospital conducted thorough testing. Doctors confirmed there were no signs of apnea or cardiac arrest. Hypoglycemia was identified as the primary condition. Initial treatment was administered, and her condition stabilised.
The hospital contacted Mr. Mongkol at 8:00 p.m., instructing him to retrieve his sister for home recuperation. Officials later decided, however, that she required observation before travelling. Relatives and village authorities confirmed the sequence of events. Documentation, coffin handling, and police instructions followed standard procedures.
Mr. Pairat Sudthup stressed that in thousands of cremations he supervised, he had never seen anyone declared dead regain consciousness. He confirmed that temple staff acted promptly and professionally.
Social media footage documented the incident. Authorities confirmed that all steps taken by the family, temple, and hospital complied with medical and legal standards. Mrs. Chonthirat, at this time, remains under hospital observation. She received immediate care for hypoglycemia and continues recovering. Doctors report no further complications.
Case drew public attention after woman declared dead recovered quickly under hospital observation
The case has drawn public attention due to its unusual sequence of events. Hospitals and temple officials emphasised that proper procedures were followed.
Mr. Mongkol plans to follow medical advice before returning his sister to Phitsanulok. Both hospital staff and temple authorities reported that the woman’s current condition is stable.
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Medical experts confirmed that hypoglycemia can mimic death-like unresponsiveness in rare cases. However, they found no evidence of respiratory or cardiac arrest. All findings are documented in hospital records.
Temple officials and family members verified each step, from coffin donation to immediate transport and hospital care. The recovery was rapid, and hospital staff have confirmed that Mrs. Chonthirat is in a stable condition. The incident remains an extremely rare occurrence. Documentation, hospital examinations and eyewitness reports nonetheless provide a full factual record of just what happened.
Certainly, this is not the first time in Thailand. There have been ongoing reports of similar situations over the last decade. In some recent stories, the person has later passed away in a short timeframe.
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