Looks like you found a bug The little indicator icons to the left of the thread titles give you some indication of the number of of posts on a thread and whether you have read them or not. I personally tend to use the "new posts" and "unread posts" actions if I'm looking for new content since I last visited, or just look for the orange indicator icons.
Cheers,
Paul
You really need only two tools: WD-40 and duct tape. If it doesn't move and it should, use WD-40. If it moves and shouldn't, use the tape.