Bhumibol Adulyadej, the king of Thailand, died more than a year ago — but the most dramatic element of his send-off is just beginning.

Adulyadej, the longest-reigning monarch in recent history, has been lying in state in his home country for the past 12 months, and is finally ready for his official funeral rites.

An entire new Royal Crematorium has been constructed, with around 20 buildings, to host the ceremony. According to the Reuters news agency, the ceremony is expected to cost around $90 million (£68 million).

The monarch occupies a huge part of Thailand's national life — when he died large parts of the country virtually shut down. So his send-off is going to be tough to beat anywhere in the world. Scroll down to see what it was like.