Thai woman's cremation stopped as knocking on coffin heard, temple staff say

The general manager of a Buddhist temple was startled to see her "opening her eyes" as the coffin opened, AP news agency says.

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The temple's general manager Pairat Soodthoop was "startled" to hear a faint knock from the coffin, he told the Associated Press news agency.

Mr Soodthoop said he asked for the coffin to be opened and saw her "opening her eyes slightly and knocking on the side of the coffin". "She must have been knocking for quite some time," he added.

The brother of the 65-year-old woman said local officials told him his sister had died. However, the temple's manager said the brother did not have a death certificate.

As Mr Soodthoop tried to explain to the brother how to obtain a death certificate, the temple's staff heard a faint knock coming from inside the coffin.