I like having the "Thanks" button. It allows me to give a virtual pat on the back to recognize the time and effort that went into a well crafted post, hard to recover information, or perhaps a spot-on pithy remark. Often I will read a thread/post just because I see that certain posters that I feel consistently provide positive, meaningful input have responded. FWIW, those posters typically have received a goodly (ungodly?) number of Thanks. Good on 'em. The community recognizes their contributions. I don't understand a desire, much less a need, for Thanks-wise statistical analysis. I believe that would tend to turn what is now an act of recognition extended to a friend into some kind of graceless, easy to manipulate, number-based out to the third decimal place contest. This we do not need.
Excellent point. Now there is no reason to game the system. Keep statistics and it will become a contest for some people, making a thank meaningless.