I'd say keep the like/thanks.
It does add a bit more human element. It's nice to be able to show someone that you "get it" or appreciate their post.
Everything will have its downside though...

* I don't look at overall number of thanks as a foolproof determination of the value of their input.
The truth is that there are some members that get thanked for "less than great" posts because their popularity. Sometimes even garbage posts get thanked by azz lickers.
**And so it seems best to judge each "thanks" and "like" for yourself, on an individual basis for yourself, for your own feedback... BUT with a grain of salt as the very next post that has little value might get a bunch of likes/thanks.
If as a new member you are really wondering if some info is correct, PM some people!
In PMs you can get some surprisingly valuable info. Unguarded info. Info less regulated by the desire to not hurt feelers or look kool!
I'm grateful for those who reply to PMs because of the great info I get, and it's a sign that they are not just kool guys looking for social validation, and that goes a long way toward building friendships and allows me to determine solid info on the threads.

Hey this Karma system (or something similar) sounds great for product reviews. Perhaps it would be better for a review section, to have a more accurate way to determine the value of dedicated reviews???