Guinness World Records (GWR) has announced that it has deactivated the longest kiss world record as the competition "had become too dangerous". In a release posted on its website, GWR said that some of the rules of the contest were in conflict with its current and updated policies. It also posted the rules an explained the issues faced by the participants in abiding by them attempting to break the record. Guinness further said it has replaced longest kiss record category with the longest kissing marathon.
According to GWR, the last longest kiss event lasted for 58 hours and 35 minutes and was won by a Thai couple, Ekkachai and Laksana Tiranarat.
The event was held on February 12, 2013, in Pattaya, Thailand and ended two days later.
"Nine couples entered the annual competition, including one in their 70s (who only lasted 1 hour 38 minutes due to the husband's inability to stand any longer)," GWR said.
"Four couples remained when the previous record of 50 hours 25 minutes (set one year earlier by two Thai men) was broken. Ekkachai and Laksana - who had set the record once before in 2011 - ultimately won the contest, scooping the grand prize of 100,000 Thai Baht ($3,300) and two diamond rings worth 100,000 Baht," it further said.
GWR added that son after this record, it deactivated the category highlighting the rules, which the challengers had to follow.
The rules said the contestants' lips must be touching all the time and they could not eat or drink anything without the lips parting. The rules also mandated the participants to be awake at all times.
No rest break were allowed, neither were adult diapers.
GWR said that due to the tough rules, participants were prone to succumbing to the dangers associated with sleep deprivation, such as psychosis. It also listed some such instances.
The record-monitoring agency has replaced longest kiss record with longest kissing marathon, which has relaxed rules.
