Food options in Bangkok

Tom answered the street food question.

I like to add to the friend question that I find Thais go to "Hot Pot" or "Moo Kata" places. Both are very good for communal meals.

From Wikipedia about Hot Pot:

..consisting of a simmering metal pot of stock at the center of the dining table. While the hot pot is kept simmering, ingredients are placed into the pot and are cooked at the table. Typical hot pot dishes include thinly sliced meat, leaf vegetables, mushrooms, wontons, egg dumplings, and seafood.

Moo Kata is a form of Hot Pot from Chiang Mai. Additionally to placing the goods in the stock to cook it you can grill your vegetables or meat in the middle of it. Like a mix of BBQ and Hot Pot - Love it!

Years later, it is worth to add Sukhumvit Soi 38 Street Food Court, whose stalls offer many different options: street food to eat on your route or a selection of dishes to taste while sitting at a table. Also, it is possible to find the same dish cooked by different vendors next or close to each other, judge the menus and compare the prices.

Another spot in Bangkok that offers a great selection of street foodies and Asian dishes and menus in different areas, restaurants and venues is without any doubt Chatuchak Market, one of the largest of Asia.

Despite very different, both these two places are easy to reach with public transports but are definitely not made on purpose for attracting amounts of western tourists.