Cambodia breaks Guinness World Records, recording longest dragon boat

PREY VENG, Cambodia - Cambodia's 87.3-meter-long wooden boat was recorded in the Guinness Book of Records as the world's longest dragon boat on Monday, breaking the previous record held by China.

The 87.3-meter-long and 1.94-meter-wide boat was taken more than six months to be built by the Union of Youth Federation of Cambodia (UYFC) in Prey Veng province and it cost about $60,000 by Prey Veng Provincial Administration. The boat can accommodate 179 oarsmen.

Guinness World Records adjudicator Pravin Patel verified the record onsite and presented UYFC's president Hun Many with an official certificate.

"With a total of 87.3 meters long, Union of Youth Federation of Cambodia, Prey Veng and Prey Veng Provincial Administration, you are the new Guinness World Record holder for the longest dragon boat," Pravin Patel announced to thousands of people at an event held on the Mekong River in Prey Veng province.

He said that China set the world record for the longest dragon boat which was measured 77.8 meters long on May 28, 2016.

UYFC's vice president Sar Sokha said the boat will be exhibited at the Water Festival in Phnom Penh next week before being returned to be kept at Prey Veng Provincial Hall.

"The purpose of making the longest dragon boat in the world is to remember the long history of the production and use of dragon boats by the Khmer people in old times, especially to remember the Khmer kings in old generations, who had used dragon boats as transport means to defend the territory," Sokha said.

"It is also to promote the spirit of national affection and solidarity among the youths in conserving the legacies left by our ancestors," he added.

To date, Cambodia has four records in the Guinness book. The three others include the world's longest hand-woven scarf, measuring 1,149.8-meter-long and 88-centimeter-wide, the world's largest Madison dance, involving 2,015 participants, and the world's largest traditional sticky rice cake, weighed 4.04 tons.