I would imagine it's a necessity in Thailand because you're significantly less likely to have access to a kitchen and you're much closer to a "communal kitchen"

I would imagine it's a necessity in Thailand because you're significantly less likely to have access to a kitchen and you're much closer to a "communal kitchen" in the form of street food or a canteen. In the US because of strict zoning regulations restaurants are not usually allowed within walking distance of the communities they serve, and so any use of a restaurant must be treated as a special occasion. And because of similar zoning rules and apartment design standards the vast majority of living arrangements will come with a kitchen that is large enough to allow someone to prepare meals for at least themselves. You're actually pointing out a side-effect of how the US as a whole generally designs for sprawl and social isolation rather than for tight-knit communities like in Thailand.