What is Siem See? Understanding the Red Bamboo Tube and How to Interpret Its Meanings

What is Siem See? Generally, Siem See is a set of several bamboo sticks (usually 28, 60, or 100 sticks, depending on the system of each place) engraved with numbers, accompanied by fortune slips that correspond to those numbers. Siem See fromhoroscopeThairath Online consists of 31 slips (the number of fortunes matches the 31 days in a month) according to Mr. Mongkol Rodtiangtham an expert in numerology.

Purpose of Siem See

It is used to consult sacred entities (such as gods, Buddha images, or spirit guardians) about various life matters like work, finances, studies, health, love, or fortune to seek advice or guidance on life decisions.

The person drawing must focus, state their full name and clearly specify the question, then shake the Siem See tube until only one bamboo stick falls out. The number on that stick is then matched with the corresponding fortune slip.

Disposing or tying Siem See slips

• A good Siem See fortune should be kept for blessings, encouragement, and as a reminder to continue good deeds.
• A bad or unfavorable Siem See slip, according to tradition, is usually tied to a branch, a metal rod, or a designated spot at the temple (often called "discarding Siem See" ) to leave the bad fortune at the sacred site, not to take it home, and to ask the sacred entity to help dispel the bad luck.

Main components used in drawing Siem See

The main tools used for Siem See at shrines or temples consist of three important parts.

1. Siem See sticks (bamboo sticks)

• Appearance: They are slender bamboo sticks, often made from bamboo (or sometimes plastic), kept inside a tube.
• Quantity: The number varies depending on the system of each sacred place.
• Usage: Each stick is marked with a number (e.g., 1 to 31) which serves as a "code" to match with the corresponding fortune slip.

2. Fortune slips (Siem See papers)

Generally, these are small sheets of paper printed with fortunes arranged according to the numbers matching the bamboo sticks. The content is usually poems or polite verses using archaic language or metaphor, summarizing the fortune in various areas.

• Finances
• Work/Studies
• Love/Relationships
• Health/Illness
• Legal matters/Disputes
• Moral advice

3. Poay sticks (Saeng Poay, Puay Poay)

Appearance: They are crescent-shaped wooden or plastic pieces, usually two parts with one convex (downward) side and one flat (upward) side.

Usage: Used to confirm with the sacred entity whether the number drawn from the Siem See sticks is the "correct" answer to the question asked. This is an essential tool in traditional Chinese rituals.

How to interpret Siem See?

1. Drawing method (shaking and confirmation)

• Focus your mind, state your full name, and ask a clear, specific question (for example, "How will my work be this year?").
• Then shake the Siem See tube until only one bamboo stick falls out (if more than one falls out, collect them all and try again).
• Confirm with the Poay sticks by placing the two pieces together and asking, “Is this Siem See number... the answer to my question?” Then toss the Poay sticks to the ground.

The Poay sticks’ outcome confirms the blessing request from the deity.

1. Yes (sacred crescent): one side down, one side up—proceed to read the fortune.
2. No (both sides down): unclear answer, discard this slip and try again.
3. No (both sides up): the deity does not agree with the question or request, or refuses to answer (do not retry immediately).

2. How to read and interpret the fortune slips

Once you have the confirmed fortune slip, generally interpretation proceeds as follows.

• Check the "grade" of the fortune.
• Excellent, very good: positive outlook but requires continued good deeds and caution.
• Moderate: results may not be immediate; effort and determination are needed.
• Unfavorable, bad: be especially careful; potential problems or obstacles may arise. This serves as a warning to do merit, correct behavior, or avoid risks during this time. Interpret according to the context of the question.
• Fortunes are often poetic, such as “Like a tree just blossoming, though strong winds blow, its roots remain firm.”
• You should connect this poem to your question, for example, if asked about work, it might mean "Although problems arise, your foundation and experience are strong enough to overcome them, but patience is required."

However, most fortune slips summarize the results in points, such as: Finances—gain but keep it safe; Love—do not rush, take time to understand each other; Health—recovery soon.

Siem See is not a definite prediction. Good fortunes encourage, while bad fortunes serve as reminders to stay cautious.

Important reminder: Do not draw Siem See repeatedly for the same issue on the same day, as it is believed that the first result is the true answer from the sacred entity.

Stay tuned for Siem See readings on love, work, finances, studies, and health soon on the Thairath Online Horoscope section.HoroscopeComing soon.