A framework for managing R&D for Thai research community using text information exploitation

Science and technology (S&T) information presents a rich resource, vital for managing research and development (R&D) programs. Modern S&T electronic abstract databases such as Science Citation Index and INSPEC provide comprehensive information on research activities in many different domains. These databases mostly include English language publications. However for a country such as Thailand which does not use English as the primary language, some S&T information is represented in Thai language as well. Hence to reflect the whole R&D activities in the country, there is a need to extract intelligence from both English and Thai language research publications. In this paper, we describe our ongoing project to consolidate research content focusing on Thai language. We present a framework called Thailandpsilas Research Information Portal and Search Engine (ThaiReSearch) which integrates research information from various databases such as researchers, research projects, patent records, and publications. The framework also provides an intelligent information analysis module which incorporates the following functions: statistical analysis, natural language processing (NLP), and text mining. By using this system, Thai R&D managers and policy planners could improve their strategic decision-making processes towards a sustainable economy.