The Reason the Guinness World Records Organization Canceled the Longest Kiss Category Has Been Revealed, and Many Agree. The safety of record holders has been prioritized.
The Guinness World Records organization has removed the category for the longest kiss due to concerns for participant safety and conflicts with updated policies.
The world record for the longest kiss belongs to the Thai couple Ekkachai and Laksana Tiranarat. Their kiss lasted 58 hours, 35 minutes, and 58 seconds, set during an event in Pattaya in 2013.
This event featured nine participating couples, one of whom was in their 70s. They kissed for 1 hour and 38 minutes before stopping because the husband could no longer stand.
“The couples could not do anything else but kiss. Drinking milk, eating bread, and even going to the bathroom had to be done while kissing. Participants hoped to break last year’s record,” a representative from the organizing committee stated.
In the end, Ekkachai and Laksana emerged victorious, winning a grand prize of $3,300 and two diamond rings.
The longest kiss record has been removed due to safety concerns for participants.
To be recognized by Guinness World Records, couples had to kiss continuously, with their lips always touching. If their lips parted, they would be disqualified immediately. They could drink water through a straw but could not separate from their partner’s lips.
Throughout the record-setting process, couples needed to stay alert and stand without the assistance of anyone else, without taking breaks. They were also not allowed to wear adult diapers, could use the restroom while still kissing, and had to be supervised by a judge, according to Timesnownews.
Safety Concerns
The cancellation of the world record in this category stems from safety issues. While attempting to set a record, couples had to kiss for extended periods, exposing them to health risks such as sleep deprivation, starvation, and fainting.
In 1999, the eventual winners, Karmit Tzubera and Dror Orpaz, were nearly unconscious. The couple from Israel fainted and had to be hospitalized immediately after kissing for 30 hours and 45 minutes.
In 2004, Andrea Sarti from Italy required resuscitation after kissing his girlfriend for 31 hours and 18 minutes. He suffered from muscle cramps, and people had to massage him to alleviate the pain. In 2011, a participant fainted just 30 minutes into kissing.
What is the Longest “Kissing Marathon”?
While the longest kiss category has been canceled, the Guinness World Records organization has introduced a new challenge: The Longest Kissing Marathon Competition.
The main difference in this category is that participants are allowed to take breaks. After each hour of continuous kissing, participants receive a 5-minute break, which can be accumulated if not used.
Couples are permitted to temporarily part from each other’s lips to sleep and eat. This significantly reduces the risk of dangerous situations such as fainting, mental disorders, or the need for resuscitation.
Currently, there is no record holder for this category, opening opportunities for anyone eager to claim a new title.
