Big Noise

What do you call important people? In Thailand we call them Phu Yai - A Big Person. And such is the respect for class structure that there is no hint of derision about the title of Phu Yai. In other cultures it is not so. During the second world war when shortage of fuel forced even very important persons to share egalitarian travel by train with the hoi polloi, in a country also noted for an adherence to class status, seats were reserved for them with a card printed VIP - very important person! But the seeds of disrespect had long been sown among the less worthy and the intended meaning of the title was reversed by referring to VIPs as SPIVS or idle pretenders.
Big Boss is a rather neutral title for the very important but it can carry ironic tones. Fat Cat is certainly dismissive. But the title which I want to recall is "Big Noise", possibly a relative of a "Big Shot". Here the derision is more subtle, the Big Noises require noise to draw attention to their status. The noise could be real enough, Big Noises spoke more loudly than others and their approach was announced by a swell of admiring comment. "Big Noise" also referred to the fact that much noise, i.e. comment and gossip followed their doings. I think the term came first from the Chinese custom of banging gongs to announce the passage of a Big Noise being carried in a palanquin. In other cultures the passage of a Big Noise was also broadcast by noise, the playing of musical instruments where volume rather than melody revealed the intent.

The curious lack of a single word for noise in Thai protects Thai culture from such implied lack of respect for a Big Noise.