In case of fixed width left column the best solution is provided by Eamon Nerbonne.
In case of variable width left column the best solution I found is to make two identical tables and push one above another. Demo: http://jsfiddle.net/xG5QH/6/.
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<style type="text/css">
/* important styles */
.container {
/* Attach fixed-th-table to this container,
in order to layout fixed-th-table
in the same way as scolled-td-table" */
position: relative;
/* Truncate fixed-th-table */
overflow: hidden;
}
.fixed-th-table-wrapper td,
.fixed-th-table-wrapper th,
.scrolled-td-table-wrapper td,
.scrolled-td-table-wrapper th {
/* Set background to non-transparent color
because two tables are one above another.
*/
background: white;
}
.fixed-th-table-wrapper {
/* Make table out of flow */
position: absolute;
}
.fixed-th-table-wrapper th {
/* Place fixed-th-table th-cells above
scrolled-td-table td-cells.
*/
position: relative;
z-index: 1;
}
.scrolled-td-table-wrapper td {
/* Place scrolled-td-table td-cells
above fixed-th-table.
*/
position: relative;
}
.scrolled-td-table-wrapper {
/* Make horizonal scrollbar if needed */
overflow-x: auto;
}
/* Simulating border-collapse: collapse,
because fixed-th-table borders
are below ".scrolling-td-wrapper table" borders
*/
table {
border-spacing: 0;
}
td, th {
border-style: solid;
border-color: black;
border-width: 1px 1px 0 0;
}
th:first-child {
border-left-width: 1px;
}
tr:last-child td,
tr:last-child th {
border-bottom-width: 1px;
}
/* Unimportant styles */
.container {
width: 250px;
}
td, th {
padding: 5px;
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<div class="container">
<div class="fixed-th-table-wrapper">
<!-- fixed-th-table -->
<table>
<tr>
<th>aaaaaaa</th>
<td>ccccccccccc asdsad asd as</td>
<td>ccccccccccc asdsad asd as</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>cccccccc</th>
<td>xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx yyyyyyyyyyyyyy zzzzzzzzzzzzz</td>
<td>xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx yyyyyyyyyyyyyy zzzzzzzzzzzzz</td>
</tr>
</table>
</div>
<div class="scrolled-td-table-wrapper">
<!-- scrolled-td-table
- same as fixed-th-table -->
<table>
<tr>
<th>aaaaaaa</th>
<td>ccccccccccc asdsad asd as</td>
<td>ccccccccccc asdsad asd as</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>cccccccc</th>
<td>xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx yyyyyyyyyyyyyy zzzzzzzzzzzzz</td>
<td>xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx yyyyyyyyyyyyyy zzzzzzzzzzzzz</td>
</tr>
</table>
</div>
</div>
</body>
</html>