Thai royal cremation ceremony  The royal cremation ceremony is the final and most major event during Thai royal funerals. The cremation proper is preceded by a procession of the Buddha statues and icons and services before the relic urns of past monarchs and deceased members of the Royal Family. The cremation services last for 6 days (from the Friday before up to the Wednesday following). In the past, state funerals lasted a whole 2 weeks (14 days long). Once everything is set for cremation as per Buddhist and Hindu customs, the cremation proper begins with one final late-night service for the deceased officially starting the royal cremation services. The services are held in Bangkok at the Grand Palace and its Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall, where the royal remains have been lying in state for a specific period of mourning in a "kot" (from Sanskrit "kośa", meaning "container") displayed on a decorated pedestal known as "" inside the hall. In recent funerals, a coffin was used instead of the kot to hold the royal remains, but a kot was still displayed near the coffin in keeping with tradition. The services are presided over by HM the King alongside members of the Royal Family, and Buddhist monks are present, performing the offerings of cloth on behalf of the dead, known as "sadappakon", and reciting prayers and chants in Pali (and in recent state cremations, Teochew Chinese, due to the attendance of Thai Chinese Buddhist monks from the local community temples). After the final night service, on the cremation day a farewell morning service occurs at the Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall of the Grand Palace in Bangkok, where the urn lay in state for a specific time period and had been earlier stripped of its outer decorations. After the morning service and breakfast served for the monks, a squad from 1st Infantry Regiment King's Own Bodyguard's 1st Battalion escort the urn out of the hall and into the gold Triple-Poled Royal Funeral Palanquin Carriage ("Phra Yannamat Sam Lam Khan") outside the throne hall while honors are paid by the 3rd Btn, 1st Infantry Regiment (King's Own Bodyguard). As the covered funeral urn is placed on the carriage, an outer sandalwood cover is placed on it and the carriage, alongside a Royal Nine-Tiered Umbrella mounted atop it. After one more salute is rendered to the urn, the pallanquin and the 60 Royal Thai Army personnel handling it move out of the Deva Phirom gate of the Palace from the west wall into Maharaj Road.