"Modern" Ala'ia designs?

Yeah, horizontal wood will be way more bendable while standing especially. You could do a lengthwise stringer then 45 begree left and right sides if your stock lengths are short. Epoxy + filler for the glue joins is plenty strong. The “Sidewinder” was an assymetrical experiment. Yeah right.

It was actually the top half of a hollow alaia and bottom with the wood going the other way. After glueing the top up I set it against the wall and glued the bottom on the table then turned to look at the finished top leaning against the wall doing a twist o flex maneuver. So I played with it for a while. No rattle though. 

I know some guys do the “tounge and groove” planks but since mine is pallet wood there is no channels for me - when I join them should I biscuit or dowel them?? Or do I just glue them straight-edge to straight-edge?

Good glue is stronger than the wood.

Dowels and biscuits are a waste of time.

 I've busted two of mine and neither was on the glue line. 

If you use good epoxy you will be good. Your joins will be anywhoo. The one easy option you have is grab a circular saw, set the depth to like 1/16" and run one groove on one piece but leave the other joining piece flat. The 1/16" rip line doesn’t need to be perfectly straight. Just freehand near the center of the piece to be glued. Like a small glue pool/line. If you do that use a filler like sawdust and make a peanut butter consistency mix. Slap um together and don’t squeeze all the glue out. Many people way overclamp.