Any facebook / whatsapp groups to meet locals to do social activities?

Check out the "Bangkok Social Club" group on Facebook, they do meetups for sports nights and bar hangs where the crowd is mostly Thai locals in their 20s and 30s. Also "Bangkok Hiking and Trekking" has planned weekend trips that are super structured so you know exactly what's happening.

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honestly the "Bangkok Climbing Community" group on facebook is pretty solid for what you're looking for. they do weekly meetups at different gyms around town like Rock Domain in Ari or Climbbit in Thonglor, and everyone's super chill about beginners. the vibe is way more local than expat heavy, and since climbing is inherently structured you don't have to worry about awkward small talk between routes.

for the finance/business side, there's a group called "Bangkok Young Investors" that does monthly coffee chats at places like Casa Lapin in Ekkamai. it's mostly Thai professionals in their late 20s/early 30s and they actually have an agenda for each session so you know exactly what's being discussed. just show up, listen, and chime in when you're ready.

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Another option is the "Bangkok Board Games" group on Facebook. They meet every other Saturday afternoon at a cafe near Ari BTS called Lazy Sunday, and it's about 70% Thai locals in their late twenties. The games are already set up and explained when you arrive so there's no pressure to initiate anything, you just get assigned to a table and start playing. They do everything from Catan to more complex strategy games, and the structured format makes it easy to focus on the game instead of worrying about conversation.

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Krua Dok Mai Kao is solid but I've always found their som tam a bit tame on the pla ra. If you want the real funky version, try the shophouse spots along Soi Udomsuk 26, near the night market end. They pound it fresh with fermented fish that'll clear your sinuses, and it's like 60 baht. Different style from the On Nut places, more Lao-leaning.

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for som tam specifically i'd say the Isaan spots in Chatuchak are underrated, weekdays only though since the weekend crowd ruins the vibe. there's a stall near gate 2 that does tam pa with fermented bamboo shoots, super sour and funky, not something you see much in On Nut. if you're already heading north for Or Tor Kor anyway its worth the detour.

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honestly the som tam at Krua Dok Mai Kao is good but what got me hooked is their nam prik pla raa dip with the raw veggies, that funk hits way harder than the papaya does. think most people sleep on it cuz they just order the som tam and gai yang. also pro tip, go before noon on weekdays, after that teh pla ra gets milder cuz they batch it for the lunch rush

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