Ekkachai and Laksana Tiranarat, the Thai couple who achieved the Guinness World Record for the longest kiss in 2013, have revealed that they are no longer together. The couple had kissed for an astonishing 58 hours, 35 minutes, and 58 seconds.
Speaking on the BBC Sounds podcast Witness History, Ekkachai discussed the end of their marriage while expressing pride in their extraordinary accomplishment. “I am very proud. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” Ekkachai shared with host Megan Jones. “We spent a long time together, and I’m trying to remember the good memories and that we did this together.”
The couple initially broke the record in 2011, kissing for 46 hours and 24 minutes. Ekkachai recounted that they hadn’t originally signed up for the 2011 competition, but were convinced to participate by the lure of a 50,000 Thai Baht (approximately £1,200) prize and a diamond ring.
Ekkachai also recalled being “stunned” by the strict rules governing the world record attempt, which stipulated that “lips must be touching at all times, the couple must be awake at all times, contestants must stand during the attempt and cannot be propped together by any aids, and that adult nappies, diapers, or incontinence pads were banned.”
While couples were allowed to use the toilet, they were “required to remain kissing while doing so.” He noted that many contestants couldn’t endure the challenge and collapsed, and after 20 hours, he was exhausted and barely able to stand. However, Laksana encouraged him, saying, “we need to keep fighting,” prompting him to continue.
In the final stages of the competition, when only two couples remained, Ekkachai noticed their rival had fallen asleep. “When their lips parted, I knew we had won,” he recalled.
