These moves were followed by an announcement by the Finance Ministry,which holds 90 per cent of THAI shares, concerning the dilution of the air force’s powerful influence on the airline. On 13 July, the government indicated that it would move to abolished the right of the air force commander to head THAI, calling for a shareholders' meeting to make the required changes. Refusing to bow to the inevitable, Kaset voiced his objections, contending that it was "traditional" for the air force chief to head THAI. Meanwhile, Issarapong was unceremoniously dumped from his post as chairman of TOT, to be replaced by a senior bureaucrat. The military's representation on the eight person board was reduced to one, the director of the army Signal Department, who was a communications expert. The press applauded. Changes too, were made to the board of the Expressway and Rapid Transport Authority of Thailand, with five armed forces and police members on the eleven person board replaced by civilians.