Thousands of volunteers dressed all in black have gathered in Bangkok near the Royal Palace to prepare the city for the five-day funeral ceremony for the late King Bhumipol. The monarch, who many refer to as the "father of all Thais," died last October after ruling for more than 7 decades. Thailand-based photographer @rockkhound took these photos for DW's Instagram account @dw_stories

Over the last months, dedicated volunteers and artisans have prepared Bangkok for the king's cremation on October 26. Parks and flower beds around the Royal Palace are full of yellow marigolds, a flower associated with the king because its color represents Monday, the day he was born.

The five-day funeral is one of superlatives, involving thousands of volunteers, musicians and performers. Some 80,000 security personnel will be deployed while 250,000 people are expected to attend the events. Since the king's death last October, more than 12 million people have prostrated themselves in front of his coffin at the Grand Palace, where he has remained prior to his cremation.

Volunteers dressed in black and with raincapes gather in front of one of the many giant posters of the king along the palace walls. These monochrome posters are scattered throughout the city and have served as points for Thais to pay respect to the world's longest ruling monarch, whom many in the country worshipped as a demigod.

Only a limited number of mourners will be granted access to the ceremony at the Royal Crematorium, which was built especially for King Bhumibol. All other Thais will pay their respects to the king at ornate replicas, like this one. There are nine such replicas in Bangkok, each topped with a golden spire symbolizing Mount Meru, the center of the Hindu and Buddhist universe.

Thailand has been in mourning since the king died last year on Oct. 13. Government workers and many citizens have worn black. Businesses have published billboards with condolences, and giant monochrome posters of the king line city streets. Small stands like this one near the Royal Palace sell souvenirs with Bhumibol's face printed on them to mourners.

Authorities have published strict regulations on clothing and conduct for those attending the funeral processions. People are advised to wear black and long pants or skirts. Jeans and tight clothes are discouraged. Anyone who attends must have an ID card. Loud noise and selfies are prohibited during the procession and cremation.

At the age of 88, King Bhumibol died at the Siriraj hospital in Thailand's capital Bangkok, the royal palace said in a statement. No other Thai monarch had reigned as long. This June, Thais had celebrated his 70th jubilee. Bhumibol spent much of his time over the past few years in hospital with various health problems.

Until the very end, the Thai people hoped that the doctors would once again be able to save and extend the life of the world's longest-reigning living monarch. But the aged king had suffered from acute pneumonia, in addition to a string of major health issues such as renal failure.

Born on December 5, 1927, in the US, Bhumibol spent much of his childhood and youth in Switzerland. Even after his coronation, he and his wife Sirikit remained frequent travelers and toured the world. The couple had four children: three daughters and one son.

The king was widely revered in the country until his death. Bhumibol ascended to the Thai throne in 1946, when he was just 18-years old. The royal portrait is seen not only on the country's bank notes and stamps, but also in people's houses, even if it's not mandated by the state.

Supported by his popularity among the people and protected by a rigid "lèse majesté" law - which makes criticism of the monarchy punishable by up to 15 years in prison - Bhumibol repeatedly pursued his interests, while contributing much to the cohesion of Thailand's divided society. To that end, he relied on a well-entrenched royalist network within the political, business and military classes.

In his private life, Bhumibol's hobbies included music and photography. The camera was one of the monarch's loyal companions. He also worked as a jazz musician and composed his own tunes. He once even played with jazz legend Benny Goodman.

Although Thailand is officially a constitutional monarchy, Bhumibol was more than a symbolic figure. He shaped the political, economic and social destinies of the country for decades.

Despite the political turmoil that shook Thailand during his reign, with a total of 17 coups taking place, Bhumibol was seen as a unifying figure in the Southeast Asian country. Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha (center of photo) is seen commemorating the 70th anniversary of the king's reign in June this year.

The royal succession is an extremely sensitive topic in Thailand. Crown Prince Vajiralongkorn, the king's 64-year-old son, is the heir apparent, but he has not achieved the same level of devotion that his father enjoyed. That's why it's rumored that some in Thailand favor the crown prince's more popular sister, Princess Maha Chakri Sirindorn (left), to take the throne.