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Married couple who hold world record for the longest kiss share tragic update on their relationship World record holders Ekkachai and Laksana Tiranarat have parted ways READ MORE: Scientists discover where KISSING came from - and it will make your skin crawl By MONIQUE RUBINS FOR MAILONLINE Published: 07:53 GMT, 25 February 2025 | Updated: 07:53 GMT, 25 February 2025 e-mail View comments A once besotted couple who broke the world record for the longest kiss have sadly revealed they're no longer together. Ekkachai Tiranarat and his wife Laksana, from Thailand, kept their lips locked for a whopping 58 hours and 35 minutes, breaking the Guinness World Record in 2013. But speaking on new BBC Sounds podcast, Witness History , Ekkachai revealed the couple split but says he remains 'very proud' of the record.
He explained the competition's stringent rules included sustaining the kiss during toilet trips and having to pass water between each other's mouths, which he claims made the experience far from enjoyable. 'I am very proud. It was a once in a lifetime experience,' he told host Megan Jones on the podcast.
'We spent a long time together and I'm trying to remember the good memories and that we did this together.' Two-time winners of the competition, Ekkachai and Laksana first set the world record for the longest kiss in 2011, when they lasted for 46 hours and 24 minutes. The couple initially didn't sign up for the 2011 competition, which was scheduled for a few days before Valentine's Day, as hopeless romantics eager to spend hours in each other's arms.
Ekkachai and Laksana Tiranarat (pictured during the 2013 competition) remain the Guinness World Record holders for the longest kiss but have since parted ways Laksana had just recovered from a long illness and Ekkachai was keen to whisk her away on holiday for a 'change of scenery'. But the promise of 50,000 Thai Baht (approximately £1,200 at the time) and a diamond ring was more than enough to convince the couple to throw their hat in the ring. Yet, the contest didn't get off to a good start when Ekkachai felt faint shortly after arriving at the Royal Garden Plaza shopping mall in the city of Pattaya in eastern Thailand .
'There were a lot of people there, there were around 14 couples competing and a lot of media hovering around them,' he said. 'I felt like I was going to faint, some of the spectators handed me an inhaler to support me along the way.' Still, that was nothing compared to what lay ahead.
Ekkachai recalled being 'stunned' by the rules for the world record attempt, which demanded that 'lips must be touching at all times' and 'the couple must be awake at all times.' In addition, the rules stated that 'contestants must stand during the attempt and cannot be propped together by any aids' and that 'adult nappies, diapers or incontinence pads' were banned. Celebrating their world record longest kiss, are Akechai Tiranarat, left, and Laksana Tiranarat, after winning the World's Longest Continuous Kiss contest The couple managed to sustain their kiss for 58 hours and 35 minutes in 2013 While couples were allowed to use the toilet, they were required 'to remain kissing while doing so'.
Despite the harsh regulations, however, Ekkachai and Laksana 'decided the show must go on.' In 2011, the time that competitors were trying to beat was 32 hours and seven minutes. 'A lot of people couldn't bear it and collapsed,' Ekkachai recalled.
While it was 'exciting and fun' at the start, by the time 20 hours had passed he was 'exhausted' and 'could barely stand'. Since contestants were allowed to drink from a straw, the couple devised a strategy where Laksana 'would hold [the water] in her mouth' before passing it into her husband's mouth. By the time it was down to seven couples, Ekkachai was wavering.
Fortunately, Laksana had her eye on the prize and wasn't ready to let another couple win. 'My wife said "we need to keep fighting" so I carried on,' Ekkachai said. In 2013, Ekkachai and Laksana Tiranarat won 100,000 Thai Baht (approximately £2,350 at that time) and two diamond rings for their efforts After winning in 2011 - and then being usurped in 2012 - the couple trained hard for the 2013 longest kiss competition 'But it was really difficult.
We were trying to balance and walk to the restroom. We were trying not to trip over our own legs. 'When we finally got there, I didn't care, I was so tired.
' Yet, the competition soon took a turn in Ekkachai and Laksana's favour. 'When it was neck to neck, the final two couples, I noticed that the other couple fell asleep,' Ekkachai said. When the other couple's 'lips parted,' Ekkachai realised he and his wife had won.
Casting his mind back to that moment, he said: 'My family and friends congratulated me. They were happy for me. 'In response, I told them: "Only crazy people would accomplish something like that.
A normal person wouldn't try it."' Despite their tremendous effort and sensational result of 46 hours and 24 minutes, Ekkachai and Laksana's 2011 victory was sadly short lived. In 2012, when Ekkachai fell ill and couldn't compete, they were knocked off the top spot by another couple.
By 2013, however, the competitive pair were determined to try again, describing the world record title, which was by now worth 100,000 Thai Baht (approximately £2,350 at that time) and two diamond rings, as their 'Roman Empire'. Desperate 'to take back what belonged to us', Ekkachai and Laksana trained hard for the competition, aware that they would have to beat 50 hours and 25 minutes. 'We tried to stand straight like statues.
Instead of pinching, we were tapping each other on the head with one hand and the other hand [and] we were hugging each other to keep awake,' Ekkachai remembered. Guinness World Records cancelled the longest kiss category in 2013 after Ekkachai and Laksana's win, saying that it had become too dangerous Since Guinness World Records cancelled the longest kiss category after their 2013 win, he and now ex-wife Laksana remain the world record holders During the final stages of the competition, which concluded on February 14, 2012, however, they noticed that their rivals had raised their hands to indicate they had had enough. Looking back to their victory, Ekkachai said: 'The happiness was overclouded with how tired I was.
I just wanted to rest and drink.' While there wasn't as much media attention in 2013 as there had been in 2011, Ekkachai and Laksana were pictured in newspapers both in Thailand and abroad. To this day, Ekkachai is recognised in the street and asked if he took part in the kissing competition.
And, since Guinness World Records cancelled the longest kiss category after their 2013 win, he and now ex-wife Laksana remain the world record holders. The organisation said the category was cancelled because it had become too dangerous and some of the rules no longer married up with their updated policies. Thailand Share or comment on this article: Married couple who hold world record for the longest kiss share tragic update on their relationship e-mail Add comment.
