New Delhi: A Thai couple, Ekkachai and Laksana Tiranarat, set the Guinness World Record for the longest continuous kiss, lasting 58 hours, 35 minutes. The feat was achieved during a Valentine’s Day event hosted by Ripley’s Believe It or Not! in Pattaya, Thailand, beginning on 12 February 2013 and concluding on 14 February.
Out of nine competing couples, including a pair in their 70s who withdrew after just 1 hour and 38 minutes due to fatigue, it was Ekkachai and Laksana who endured to the end. Interestingly, the couple had already held the title once before, back in 2011, when they kissed for 46 hours, 24 minutes.
Longest kiss? Ekkachai & Laksana Tiranarat (Thailand) kissed for 58 hrs 35 mins and 58 secs, #ValentinesDay 2013 pic.twitter.com/YNWh14pBZh
— Guinness World Records (@GWR) February 14, 2016
During the final hours of the competition, only four couples remained after the previous record of 50 hours, 25 minutes, held by Nonthawat Charoenkaesornsin and Thanakorn Sitthiamthong, a same-sex couple from Thailand, was surpassed. Ekkachai and Laksana ultimately outlasted them all, reclaiming their crown and earning the grand prize: 100,000 Thai Baht (approximately £2,131 / $3,300) and two diamond rings, each valued at 100,000 Baht.
Yet despite their victory, Guinness World Records later retired the category, citing safety concerns and inconsistencies with newly revised policies. The extreme demands of the contest led to its removal.
The rules in place at the time were exceptionally strict:
1. The kiss had to be unbroken, with lips touching at all times. Any separation led to instant disqualification.
2. Couples were required to remain awake throughout the attempt.
3. Standing was mandatory, with no external support allowed.
4. No rest breaks were given.
5. Contestants were not permitted to wear adult nappies or incontinence pads.
6. Toilet use was allowed, but only if the couple continued kissing, under supervision from a referee.
7. Couples could consume liquids through a straw, again without breaking lip contact.
A Brief History of Record-Breaking Kisses
The longest kiss record has evolved through several notable attempts:
March 1998: Mark and Roberta Griswold (USA) kissed for 29 hours in New York City, winning a trip to Paris.
April 1999: Israelis Karmit Tzubera and Dror Orpaz lasted 30 hours, 45 minutes in Tel-Aviv. They were later hospitalised but rewarded with a global travel package and $2,500.
December 2001: Louisa Almedovar and Rich Langley (USA) managed 30 hours, 59 minutes on the Ricki Lake talk show.
February 2004: Italian truck driver Andrea Sarti and his Thai partner Anna Chen kissed for 31 hours, 18 minutes in Vincenza, Italy.
July 2005: James Belshaw and Sophia Severin (UK) kissed for 31 hours, 30 minutes in London, even as the tragic 7/7 bombings unfolded nearby.
February 2009: Germany’s Nikola Matovic and Kristina Reinhart set a new mark at 32 hours, 7 minutes in Hamburg.
February 2011: Ekkachai and Laksana first broke the record with their 46-hour kiss.
February 2012: The aforementioned Thai male couple held the record for a year with their 50-hour, 25-minute smooch.
February 2013: Ekkachai and Laksana Tiranarat sealed their legacy with the final and unbeaten record of 58 hours, 35 minutes.
With the retirement of the category, Ekkachai and Laksana remain the last official holders of the title. Their marathon kiss marked the end of an era, one defined by love, stamina, and a remarkable willingness to push physical boundaries for the sake of a record.