i'd like to buy the rights to that story.

not sure if it should be written as a farce or a thriller though.

Thanks for all that DH. But was actually focusing on the 'mai noi' aspect of cheu sieng. Why not cheu sieng yer ? mak ? etc ? Why go indirect and say 'not a little' ? Is this a Thai way of stating boldly/ bragging but being indirect about it ? I know I've seen it b4 and wondered.

In English you'll also find similar saying like: His reputation is not unheard of, etc.

I think many writers don't want to proclaim that the subject is very well known. It is safer to say 'not insignificant', etc. Less chance that the writer will be disputed.

Yes, in Thai, it is common to say 'his reputation is not insignificant' or

kao mii cheu sieng 'mai noi' .

However, it is also common to state it in the affirmative such as: pho kao pen kon mii cheu sieng maag. พ่อเขาเป็นคนมีชื่อเสียงมาก But it seems though, that once you say that, you now are obligated to expand further about what he did and how famous he is. You already stirred up the curiorsity in the reader's mind, and they want to know!!

DavidHouston: “"ปัจจุบันนักเขียนมีชื่อเสียงสูงเท่าไหร่ คุณยิ่งได้เงินสูงเท่านั้น "”

Never heard ชื่อเสียงสูง before and personally I would not have used it that way. I’d use it in the conventional way as “ชื่อเสียงมาก”

Edited November 2, 200718 yr by stateman

DavidHouston: “"ปัจจุบันนักเขียนมีชื่อเสียงสูงเท่าไหร่ คุณยิ่งได้เงินสูงเท่านั้น "”

Never heard ชื่อเสียงสูง before and personally I would not have used it that way. I’d use it in the conventional way as “ชื่อเสียงมาก`

Just recall another common usage:

มีชื่อเสียงโด่งดัง Mee Cheu Sieng Dong Dung